Chippa United caretaker coach Siyabulela Gwambi has urged his players to accept their current situation as the Chilli Boys prepare to take on Golden Arrows in their final DStv Premiership match at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 3pm (SA, GMT+2)
The Chilli Boys go into their final league match of the season sitting in 16th spot and accumulated just 29 points in the 2022/23 campaign.
Chippa, who are aiming to finish in the relegation playoff spot, are level on points with Marumo Gallants. However, Gallants head into the final match of the season in 15th place as a result of their -5 goal difference tally, compared to that of -15 by the Gqeberha outfit.
Also, Chippa have not won at home since January this year and are currently on a six-match winless streak on their own patch.
The Chilli Boys go into their final league fixture on the back of a damaging 4-0 defeat to TS Galaxy, a defeat which was accepted by Gwambi. The Chippa caretaker coach thus urged his side to do all they can to secure a relegation/promotion playoff spot.
“After our loss to TS Galaxy, we were sure of what’s expected of us,” Gwambi said.
“I said to the players, the sooner we accept our situation the better.
“I don’t want to say that we are going to be safe, we are quite clear that we want to go to the playoff spot.
“All the games are difficult, it’s not going to be any different [against Arrows], they want to push and make the top eight spot. We expect a very difficult game but look, we are playing at home. If Martizburg can do it, why can’t we do it?’”
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— Chippa United FC (@ChippaUnitedFC) May 18, 2023
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?? Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
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Entry free with a ticket. Tickets can be collected Thursday and Friday.
Tickets are not for sale. pic.twitter.com/oD3bgxpJuR
Arrows, on the other hand, head into their next encounter following a 1-0 win over AmaZulu at the Princess Magogo Stadium last week.
The win saw Abafana Bes’thende boost their chances of finishing in the top eight of the DStv Premiership. Arrows are currently sitting in eighth spot on the table, level on points (37) with Swallows FC, Sekhukhune United and Stellenbosch FC.
As the away side, Arrows picked up just two wins out of their last five games on their travels, while recording two losses and the single stalemate during this period.
Speaking ahead of the tie, Arrows co-coach Vusimuzi Vilakazi mentioned that his side is fully focused on finishing in a lucrative top eight spot this weekend.
“It’s a pity because we are also playing for something,” Vilakazi said.
“Right now we are sitting on position eight, but we are not safe because if one of those below us (win) since we are on 37 points, we still need to win our game to stay in the top eight, that is the unfortunate part.
“We hear the hearsay about the favours and stuff like that, but there is never a formal approach in terms of that because that will be unprofessional for that to happen.
“So we would love to see Maritzburg remain as a team from the province, but unfortunately we have to fight our battles and they need to fight their own battles and we wish them all the best in their last game.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Chippa United:
Etios Ighodaro: The robust forward is believed to be a wanted man in PSL football and could well look to increase his stock by ending the season on a high. Ighodaro’s selfless running and power could be a problem for the opposition defenders, particularly in and around the 18-yard-area
Ronaldo Maarman: With the club in need of energy going forward, Maarman could provide the spark for his side, particularly when driving the ball into the opposition box. The speedy attacker is most effective when attacking the opposition full-back, an aspect Arrows will have to be wary about.
Golden Arrows:
Ryan Moon: Moon will be a crucial component to the Arrows attacking line this weekend, especially if Chippa opt to defend on the edge of their area. The lanky forward will also be an asset in set-play situations, whether it be in an offensive or defensive setting.
Divine Lunga: As a player who loves getting up and down the left flank, Lunga could have a busy day against Chippa United. In supporting Moon upfront, Lunga’s delivery into the danger zones could trouble the leaky Chilli boys backline.