2007–08 National First Division
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox football league season
| competition = National First Division
| logo =
| season = 2007–08
| dates = 28 September 2007 – 13 April 2008
| winners = Maritzburg United
| promoted = Maritzburg United
Bay United
| relegated = Ga-Rankuwa United
Western Province United
| matches =
| total goals =
| prevseason = 2006–07
| nextseason = 2008–09
}}
The 2007–08 National First Division was the 12th season of the National First Division, the second tier of South African soccer.
Due to a lack of sponsorship, the previously national league was split into two streams, a coastal stream and an inland stream, with the winners of each meeting in a final.{{Cite web |date=2007-09-14 |title=A giant leap backwards for SA soccer |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2007-09-14-a-giant-leap-backwards-for-sa-soccer/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}
The champions were Maritzburg United, who were promoted to the South African Premier Division in their first season in the second tier following relegation from the 2006–07 Premier Soccer League,{{Cite web |title=Battle lines drawn in the NFD |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2007-08-17-battle-lines-drawn-in-the-nfd/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=SowetanLIVE |language=en-ZA}} alongside play-off victors Bay United. Ga-Rankuwa United and Western Province United were relegated to the SAFA Second Division.{{Cite web |title=South Africa 2007/08 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf08.html |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=www.rsssf.org}}{{Cite web |title=Premier Soccer League - www.psl.co.za - official website |url=https://www.psl.co.za/content/16306 |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=www.psl.co.za}}
Inland Stream champions FC AK were initially found guilty of bribery and docked 15 points, but after a protracted appeals process, the sanction was reversed, and FC AK took their place in the championship final.{{Cite web |title=Aziz Kara banned for life |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/aziz-kara-banned-for-life-20080905 |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Sport |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=NFD teams now happy |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2008-06-19-nfd-teams-now-happy/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=SowetanLIVE |language=en-ZA}}
After winning the league, Maritzburg coach Ian Palmer parted ways with the club.{{Cite web |title=Maritzburg boots Palmer |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/maritzburg-boots-palmer-20080909 |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Sport |language=en-US}}
Inland stream
=League table=
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=PQR
|team1=FCA|name_FCA=FC AK
|team2=DYN|name_DYN=Dynamos
|team3=WIN|name_WIN=Winners Park
|team4=JOM|name_JOM=African Warriors
|team5=MPH|name_MPH=Mpumalanga Black Aces
|team6=WIT|name_WIT=Witbank Spurs
|team7=UNI|name_UNI=University of Pretoria
|team8=BLL|name_BLL=Ga-Rankuwa United|status_BLL=R
|win_FCA=10|draw_FCA=7|loss_FCA=4|gf_FCA=21|ga_FCA=19
|win_DYN=9|draw_DYN=4|loss_DYN=8|gf_DYN=31|ga_DYN=23
|win_WIN=9|draw_WIN=4|loss_WIN=8|gf_WIN=25|ga_WIN=24
|win_JOM=8|draw_JOM=5|loss_JOM=8|gf_JOM=20|ga_JOM=21
|win_MPH=7|draw_MPH=7|loss_MPH=7|gf_MPH=26|ga_MPH=23
|win_WIT=6|draw_WIT=8|loss_WIT=7|gf_WIT=21|ga_WIT=21
|win_UNI=6|draw_UNI=7|loss_UNI=8|gf_UNI=23|ga_UNI=27
|win_BLL=5|draw_BLL=6|loss_BLL=10|gf_BLL=22|ga_BLL=31
|result1=C
|col_C=green1 |text_C=Qualification to Championship play-off
|result2=P
|col_P=yellow1 |text_P=Qualification to Promotion play-off
|result8=R
|col_R=red1 |text_R=Relegation to SAFA Second Division
|update=complete
|source={{Cite web |title=South Africa 2007/08 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf08.html |access-date=24 July 2023 |website=RSSSF}}
}}
Coastal stream
=League table=
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=PQR
|team1=CAR|name_CAR=Maritzburg United
|team2=AFR|name_AFR=Bay United
|team3=NAT|name_NAT=Nathi Lions
|team4=FCC|name_FCC=FC Cape Town
|team5=IKA|name_IKA=Ikapa Sporting
|team6=DUR|name_DUR=Durban Stars |status_DUR=R
|team7=HAN|name_HAN=Hanover Park
|team8=VAS|name_VAS=Western Province United
|win_CAR=14|draw_CAR=5|loss_CAR=2|gf_CAR=31|ga_CAR=13
|win_AFR=14|draw_AFR=3|loss_AFR=4|gf_AFR=30|ga_AFR=10
|win_NAT=8|draw_NAT=10|loss_NAT=3|gf_NAT=22|ga_NAT=13
|win_FCC=6|draw_FCC=8|loss_FCC=7|gf_FCC=24|ga_FCC=24
|win_IKA=5|draw_IKA=6|loss_IKA=10|gf_IKA=25|ga_IKA=30
|win_DUR=5|draw_DUR=6|loss_DUR=10|gf_DUR=19|ga_DUR=31
|win_HAN=5|draw_HAN=4|loss_HAN=12|gf_HAN=22|ga_HAN=32
|win_VAS=2|draw_VAS=8|loss_VAS=11|gf_VAS=20|ga_VAS=40
|result1=C
|col_C=green1 |text_C=Qualification to Championship play-off
|result2=P
|col_P=yellow1 |text_P=Qualification to Promotion play-off
|result8=R
|col_R=red1 |text_R=Relegation to SAFA Second Division
|update=complete
}}
Championship play-off
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|06|25|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = First leg
|team1 = FC AK
|score1 = 1
|team2 = Maritzburg United
|score2 = 1
|goals1 = Khaiseb {{goal|32}}
|goals2 = Davids {{goal|57}}
|stadium =
|location = Eldorado Park, Johannesburg
|attendance =
|referee =
}}
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|06|29|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = Second leg
|team1 = Maritzburg United
|score1 = 2
|team2 = FC AK
|score2 = 0
|goals1 = Davids {{goal|63||74}}
|goals2 =
|stadium = Harry Gwala Stadium, Maritzburg
|location =
|attendance =
|referee =
}}
Maritzburg United win the championship and earn promotion, FC AK go through to the promotion playoffs
Promotion play-off
=Semi-finals=
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|07|02|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = First leg
|team1 = Bay United
|score1 = 1
|team2 = Black Leopards
|score2 = 0
}}
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|07|06|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = Second leg
|team1 = Black Leopards
|score1 = 1
|team2 = Bay United
|score2 = 1
}}
Black Leopards, who finished 15th in the 2007–08 Premier Soccer League, were relegated to the 2008–09 National First Division
----
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|07|02|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = First leg
|team1 = FC AK
|score1 = 0
|team2 = Dynamos
|score2 = 0
}}
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|07|06|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = Second leg
|team1 = Dynamos
|score1 = 1
|team2 = FC AK
|score2 = 2
}}
=Final=
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|07|09|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = First leg
|team1 = FC AK
|score1 = 0
|team2 = Bay United
|score2 = 0
}}
{{Football box
|date = {{Start date|2008|07|13|df=y}}
|time =
|event =
|round = Second leg
|team1 = Bay United
|score1 = 2
|team2 = FC AK
|score2 = 1
}}
Bay United were promoted to the 2008–09 Premier Soccer League.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf08.html South Africa 2008/09] at RSSSF
{{South African soccer seasons}}
{{2007-08 in African Football (CAF)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2007-08 National First Division}}