Jonevret expecting another tough game

JOHANNESBURG: Kjell Jonevret says his side will need to up their game after what was a below-par performance against Baroka FC in midweek, if they are to beat Chippa United at Orlando Stadium tomorrow.

Orlando Pirates played to a 1-1 draw against the relegation-threatened Limpopo outfit after Senegal’s Issa Sarr rescued his side with a superb header in the dying seconds.

What displeased Jonevret most was how his side left spaces open at the back for their opponents to exploit, while also lacking the required aggression up front to finish off inviting goal-scoring opportunities.

The Swedish coach said such a poor performance cannot continue if they are to stand a chance of finishing in the top eight at the end of the season.

As it stands, Pirates are ninth on the PSL standings with 28 points from 24 matches, while Chippa are 12th with 24 points from 25 games.

“This is going to be another tough game for us,” Jonevret said.

“My only wish is that my side do not stay in bed like they did in the last encounter (against Baroka), otherwise we are going to lose it.

“Chippa play far better football than Baroka, so we’ll have to step up a bit.

“If we win this tie we can say we had another good week with two wins and a draw in our pocket. But I was not pleased with how we performed against Baroka.

“Having said that, I’m definitely ready for Chippa.”

Against Chippa, Pirates will be playing a side desperate for a win.

Chippa are two points ahead of relegation-threatened Baroka and Highlands Park, who are at the bottom of the table with 22 points each.