Mapeza well aware of the Chippa curse
Sipho Mbule is set to jet off for Egypt and the 2020 Olympic qualifiers in fine spirits after his late header gave SuperSport United a narrow 1-0 win at Bidvest Wits last night.
Mbule will miss South Africa’s opening qualifier against Zambia today after he was held back by his club, because they wanted him for vital Absa Premiership games this week against Golden Arrows and Wits.
And it proved a fine decision by the Tshwane club as in stoppage time yesterday, the 21 year-old midielder rose to place a fine header past Ricardo Goss, as SuperSport leapfrogged Wits into third place in the table.
The defeat was only Wits’ second in the league this season, and was hard on Gavin Hunt’s Clever Boys, who were on the front foot for most of the game, but were let down by poor finishing, while Ronwen Williams was typically excellent in the SuperSport goal, and Luke Fleurs gave an outstanding display in central defence.
Hunt selected Gift Motupa in attack following his four goals last weekend against UD Songo in the Caf Confederation Cup, but this time Moutpa’s radar was off, as he missed at least two decent opportunities in the second half, stabbing narrowly wide from Elias Pelembe’s cross, and then firing over as he raced clear on goal.
The match had started with a stunning save from Williams, low down to his right to deny Sameehg
Doutie, that even seemed to stun Hunt on the touchline.
Doutie was later forced off with an injury, as was midfielder Thabang Monare, which didn’t help Wits’ cause.
SuperSport did set up to defend for the most part, but did create a few opportunities of their own. Bradley Grobler and Thamsanqa Gabuza both got behind the Wits defence in the late stages of the first half, but neither could make the best use of their opportunity.
The match appeared to be heading for a stalemate until
Mbule’s late intervention, which has revitalised SuperSport’s title ambitions, heading into the international break.
Wits are also well in the title hunt, with games in hand on the rest, and can’t be too downhearted after a fine performance.
Sibongiseni Gumbi
New Chippa United coach, Norman Mapeza (above) went into the job with his eyes wide open and he said this week that he wanted ‘to have a feel of the environment’ by taking the job at a club whose owner has built a reputation of being trigger happy.
The Chilli Boys chairman, Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has been known to not hesitate to fire coaches when things don’t go well, but the Zimbabwean mentor is not worried about all of that.
“No,” replied Mapeza when asked if he feels the pressure after the 2-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at home on Wednesday night. “You know in this industry there will be a day where as a coach you resign and a day where you get fired.
“Top coaches in the world can be sacked – I am not saying I am one of the top coaches but I am just giving an example. Guys like (Jose) Mourinho. Guys like Carlos Quieroz were sacked. And one of my idols Fabio Capello was sacked after winning the championship with Real Madrid.
“I knew when I came here I just wanted to have a feel of this environment. If tomorrow the owner of the club says ‘look coach, you have failed’ I will take my things and go home with my head up.
“At least I have shown people a little of what I am capable of and I will leave this place with my head up, and go back to Zimbabwe to take a rest. Maybe I will get another opportunity somewhere else,” said Mapeza who played for Ajax Cape Town among others during his playing days.
The 47-year-old didn’t want to use the loss of three players before half time against Amakhosi as an excuse for his team’s defeat but admitted it was a massive blow.
“I am happy. The work ethic is there, everybody could see it. Losing the three players in 10 minutes disrupted our plans. They are massive injuries.”
Mapeza gets another chance to get things right as he guides the Chilli Boys away at AmaZulu in a game set for an 8.15 pm kick-off at Princess Magogo Stadium.
“It will come right. It’s all about belief and perseverance. Everyone should have the same mentality that it will happen. If I am the only one with the belief, then it is unlikely that anything will happen. Everybody in this club has to be on the same page and we all have to sincerely believe it will eventually come right.