Chippa coach looks at options for final clash
CHIPPA Dan “Dance” Malesela is considering his options as he strives to engineer a master-plan that will keep Chippa United in the Premier Soccer League.
With only a game left, the fight for survival continues and the Port Elizabethsoccer team only need only one point against Free State Stars at Goble Park on Saturday to pull it off.
Malesela said he would decide between going all out for a win or settling for a draw.
He added their training session this week started off a bit sluggishly after an exhausting knock-out cup game at the weekend.
Chippa were beaten on penalties by SuperSport United after playing to a goalless draw in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals in Mdantsane.
But Malesela said his team were over that defeat and focusing fully on saving their league status.
The Chilli Boys are 13th on the log with 27 points from 29 matches. Only a point separates them from second-from-the-bottom Highlands Park.
Malesela said they would be careful in how they approach the game.
“Everything that we are doing now is only tactical,” Malesela said.
“We have to look at how we approach this match because there are quite a number of factors to consider.
“The biggest one would be the position and what are the permutations. Do you go all out to win or do you play for a draw because we have options.
“Option number one is to win and option number two is to draw,” he said.
Stars are 14th on the log and also have 27 points from 29 games. They are level with Chippa but Malesela’s troops are above them due to a far better goal difference.
Malesela said there was no need to put pressure on his players as they were already aware of how crucial the game is. — TMG