Bees, Tigers out to earn stripes
WHEN the Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League fixtures were drafted at the beginning of the season, no one could have known that the last game of the season would be the title-decider.
The third-tier league will come to a close in grand fashion today with EC Bees, coached by Chippa Njefu and Future Tigers – the two teams vying for a NFD play-off spot – locking horns at Bhisho Stadium in a potential humdinger.
While Bees have never lost to Tigers, they go into the game under pressure to win at all costs, if they are to put the cherry on top of what has been a good season for the ambitious team.
Tigers, coached by Linda Mtebele, are at the summit of the log standings with 72 points after 29 outings, and need only one point to be confirmed as the Eastern Cape’s third-tier champions.
The rivalry between the two sides erupted into an off-the-field punch-up when officials from both teams clashed last month.
The referee who will be entrusted with the whistle in the crucial encounter will have to be on top of his game as there will be plenty of needle in the match.
Should Tigers hold on for a draw and qualify for the play-offs, that will probably be more than club bosses had imagined when the team was promoted from the SAB Regional League last season.
Leading Tigers goalscorer, Asanda Kupiso, is relishing the chance to score against the dominant Bees.
The 33 year-old lanky striker was oozing with confidence when he spoke to Saturday Dispatch, saying he did not feel any pressure as “scoring is my thing.”
Perhaps the 10 goals that he has scored this season, to an extent, are evidence of his bold claim.
“Our lives depend on this game because if we fail in this game, that will mean everything has failed. We need this game the most in all the games in the league,” he said.
A win for Tigers will also mean that the Ginsberg team would have avenged their 1-0 loss to their neighbours in the first leg of the league.
“We are prepared because it will not be an easy game. It will be tense both on the field and off the field.
“We are expecting anything but we are soldiers and we are ready,” he said.
But Kupiso’s return in front of goals pales in comparison to Bees’s leading goalscorer, Bongani Chikila’s tally.
The former Jomo Cosmos marksman has been on target an impressive 19 times this season and will have to continue with his fine form if Bees are to win today.
“I've been ready from the start of the season,” he said.
“As a team we are ready physically and mentally as well.” Just like he promised to score against Orlando Pirates in their Nedbank Cup game, he said he was prepared to deliver again today. “It is my duty to score goals so I have to score. They have pressure but we also have pressure because it's a must win game for us. “But we are definitely winning for sure, I believe that,” Chikila said.