Cape Town - AmaZulu midfielder Tshepo Liphoko admits he is still trying to process the fact that Usuthu have been relegated from the Premiership.
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The club's fate was sealed on the final day of the Premiership season as the Durbanites suffered an agonising 2-1 loss at the hands of KwaZulu-Natal rivals Maritzburg United.
There was a brief glimmer of hope they might enter into the PSL promotion-relegation playoffs after match-fixing allegations were leveled against a fellow Premiership club, but that turned out to be a damp squib.
Liphoko told the club's official website, being relegated was devastating for everyone involved and the effects were still lingering.
"It was hurting and maybe still is. It is not nice to see a club like AmaZulu being relegated since it has such rich history in the PSL," he said.
"We didn't expect it to happen and we all gave it our all and fought hard. I think it's still even painful to talk about it as there are emotions involved.
"I am trying to accept the reality and to stay focused. Although the League has closed, I am working hard on keeping fit."