PSL stragglers go head to head
Absa Premiership stragglers Chippa United and Black Leopards will come head-to-head on Sunday afternoon in an attempt to try and move further up the log when they meet at Phillipi Stadium, kick-off at 3:30pm.
Both teams come into the fixture having lost their respective debuting games of 2013, keeping them in a less than ideal position on the log.
The Chilli Boys were dealt a late blown in their encounter to Free States Stars, in which two late goals from Danny Venter and Luyola Nomandela handed the Ea Lla Koto a more flattering 3-0 scoreline.
It was the first game in which Wilfed Mugeyi took charge as head coach and questions marks have already been raised over his defensive setup.
“I don’t think our conceding of two goals is a lack of fitness. It could be other reasons, like lack of concentration towards the end of game,” says their midfielder Cole Alexander.
“I think Mugeyi believes more in playing the ball, keeping possession and building up play, where Farouk [Abrahams] would go long and try and win it in the last third. It worked with Willy at Ajax before and I think he believes in playing from the back and building up.”
Alexander, who is on-loan from Ajax Cape Town, was set to make a return to Vasco da Gama but Fifa rules banned him from being registered for three clubs in one season.
Nonetheless, he has welcomed the opportunity of competing for a spot in the first team and is hoping to capatlise on Leopards latest defeat.
“I am pushing very hard, my mind was all over the place theses past few weeks, but that didn’t keep me from pushing,” he adds. “It just makes me want work harder and with God’s grace I am where I am. With the support of my family and friends I am working much more than before.
“I think Leopards losing is in our favour. Their confidence won’t be too high, they will be hungry for a win but we are hungry too now.”
Leopards’ loss came in the shape of a 2-0 defeat to Bidvest Wits on Tuesday evening, in which Erwin Isaacs and Ryan Chapman both found the back of the net to leave the hosts rooted in 13th place.
Despite the loss, club captain Mongezi Bobe feels that there were still plenty of positives to take from the encounter.
“The competition against Wits killed us. We played well as a team but in the end we lost 2-0. Looking at the table we are not in the position we want to be in, so it is not looking good,” admits the skipper.
“We know where our downfalls are and that is in our backline. We usually concede early but this time, against Wits, we conceded in the second half.
“We will not be looking at Chippa,” adds Bobe. “We both find ourselves in a position that is down on the table, but we know how to play, we believe that we can achieve that goal and get the points needed.
“We will accept the challenge and we will be serious contenders to avoid the relegation battle. We will push hard and if you look at our records we are better travelers than at home.
“Hopefully our luck will prevail this time.”
