Caught between rock and hard place

CHIPPA United are faced with yet another crucial Premier Soccer League fixture in their quest to try and break their winless streak in the league.

The Port Elizabeth-based side play Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs at Mbombela Stadium tomorrow (6pm).

Chippa have been without a triumph in seven matches and will be looking to turn a new leaf against Amakhosi.

Only four points separate them and relegation-threatened Highlands Park who are 16th on the log with 20 points.

The last time the Chilli Boys tasted victory was when they beat Baroka 2-1 in February.

When Chippa and Chiefs met early in the season it was the Eastern Cape side that emerged victorious.

They beat the Glamour Boys 3-1 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Chippa coach Dan Malesela says he is aware that the game will not be an easy one.

“It’s a very tough game with the distance that we are traveling it won’t be an easy game.

“But I think we can handle these things,” he said.

“We are people who travel a lot and I think we are used it.

“Part of our training and our pre-season work was based on travelling, because we knew we are one team that will be exposed to a lot of travelling.

“So this is one of those and hopefully we will do well.”

Looking at their previous goalless draw against Polokwane City Malesela said his team needed to improve in every department if they wanted to get a win over Chiefs.

“It includes everybody in the team. We have to fix the defence, midfielders and the scoring part why are we not committed to scoring.”

Chippa will be without striker Rhulani Manzini due to injury but they will be happy to welcome back their top goalscorer Lerato Manzini from suspension.

Manzini was ruled out for two games after he was handed a red card in their 4-1 defeat to Cape Town City.

The former Bloemfontein player missed both the Nedbank Cup and league fixture against Polokwane.