SURVIVAL MODE
Chippa focus shifts to staying in top flight
Dumped out of the Nedbank Cup, coach Norman Mapeza will now channel his focus into keeping Chippa United in the top flight of South African soccer.
The Port Elizabeth-based side were knocked out of the Ke Yona competition by Bidvest Wits on Monday but the defeat may have come as a blessing in disguise for Mapeza as he continues the team’s fight for survival in the Absa Premiership.
The Chilli Boys are in 12th position on 22 points and only two points clear of the two relegation places.
Those spots are being contested by AmaZulu, Polokwane City, Black Leopards and Baroka, who all have 20 points.
“As a coach I do not choose what happens in football,” Mapeza said after Monday’s last-16 tie.
“If we had won today we could have been talking a different story.
“Unfortunately, we lost, so it means we have to shift our focus to the league.”
First-half goals from Thulani Hlatshwayo and Pathutshedzo Nange ended Chippa’s journey in the cup competition but secured a spot in the quarterfinals for the Clever Boys.
The 47-year-old Zimbabwean coach believes the early goals killed his team’s momentum.
“It was two goals in two minutes. We could have done better in terms of defending.
“I think we conceded soft goals. We could have done better but it’s a work in progress.
“We really wanted to go further in this Nedbank Cup but it didn’t happen for us. We just have to regroup, keep working hard and focus more on the league now.”
After going five matches without a loss, the Chilli Boys have been struggling to get back their winning form since the Christmas break.
Mapeza’s troops are now on a four-match winless run in the league.
Asked what had gone wrong, the coach said: “Nothing much has changed. But if you look at our league games we have played so many games away from home.
“We have played only two at
If we had won today we could have been talking a different story.
home. We are now left with only four matches at home, so we have to maximise our home advantage.
“It is not going to the easy but, like I said ,we just have to keep working hard.”
Chippa next face AmaZulu at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (6pm) in what could prove to be a crucial game in the relegation battle.