Chippa United gear up for crucial final league encounter

CHIPPA United have shifted their focus back to the Absa Premiership as their fairytale run in the Nedbank Cup came to an end on Saturday after they were knocked out of the competition by SuperSport United.

The defending champions needed a penalty shootout to emerge 4-2 victors after the match ended goalless after 120 minutes of play at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, East London.

Coach Dan Malesela will now have to prepare for one of the club’s biggest games of the season as they take on fellow relegation-threatened Free State Stars at the Goble Park Stadium this Saturday.

The Chilli Boys need just a single point to retain their PSL status.

Malesela said after Saturday’s game that everything would now be put on the league match against Ea Lla Koto.

“That is very crucial [retaining the PSL status],” Malesela said.

“We have time to prepare for the game. We have time to rest, probably give the players off until Tuesday and we start preparing for Free State Stars.”

Should Chippa not have any injuries during the week, Malesela will likely start with the same team that played against Matsatsantsa in the league and cup games.

He will look for continuity, something that he has not had the luxury of throughout the season with players either out with injuries or suspended.

Asked if he had any concerns travelling to Free State Stars, Malesela said having concerns would not help them survive the axe hovering over them.

“It’s not up to me to decide whether we should be concerned or not, we have to go there and do the job,” he said.

Both Chippa and Stars are tied on 27 points going into the last game of the season, but because of their superior goal difference, the Chilli Boys are in 13th place on the log.

Both sides need just a point to avoid automatic relegation and bottom dwellers Baroka FC and 15th-placed Highlands Park will have to do something they have struggled to do for most of the season – score lots of goals.

This is highly unlikely as their opponents, Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns respectively, will not be a walk in the park.

Malesela said he had hoped to lead the team to its first cup final.

While he failed to achieve that, the Port Elizabeth-based outfit still made history by reaching the last four of the Nedbank Cup.

“I had high hopes that we would reach the final, you know, with what we were doing during the week, the preparations and the mood in the camp,” he said.

“Ja, I’m just a bit disappointed, but not disappointed with what the players did.

“I’m quite pleased with how they fought, with how they played.

“We probably could have decided better in front of goals because I think one goal would have decided this game.”

Chippa will receive R1-million for making it to the semifinals.