Home win ‘around the corner’

Komphela hoping Chiefs can end voodoo in Stars game

LIVE for now and face tomorrow. Those were the sage words offered by Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela yesterday as his team continue to search for a first home league win of the season.

The difficult obstacle of Free State Stars lies in wait at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow as Chiefs complete their two-match Durban trip.

On Wednesday evening‚ they were held to a goalless draw by AmaZulu in a dreary‚ rain-affected match where Rhulani Manzini missed a penalty.

It is just as well that Chiefs find themselves enjoying the comforts of the underused 2010 Fifa World Cup venue.

Their only home win (3-0 v AmaZulu in the Telkom Knockout Cup Last 16) came at the ground in what was their most convincing performance.

However‚ one of their two league losses (2-1 v Baroka) also came at the ground.

But being the eternal optimist‚ Komphela said their first home league win was just around the corner.

“We’ve kept six consecutive clean sheets and no other team in the Premier Soccer League has done this‚” Komphela said.

“Our team is also not defensive but if we were to concede a goal‚ it wouldn’t be good.

“But we still need to convert the chances we’re creating.

“Matches against Free State Stars are always difficult and I hope it doesn’t rain because when we play them‚ it always rains.

“When it rained in the AmaZulu game‚ I actually started to think whether we’re playing Free State Stars but it’s always difficult to play them.

“They’re ambitious and very competitive.

“We need to find a way to win a match to narrow the gap at the top.”

Tomorrow’s other big game sees Mamelodi Sundowns travel to Port Elizabeth to face their bogey side, Chippa United. Orlando Pirates will be travelling to Bloemfontein to face the resurgent Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday.

If there has been a problem with Milutin Sredojevic’s team‚ it has been their inability to locate the back of the net.

In Tuesday’s goalless draw against Golden Arrows‚ they were majestic in missing some easy chances.

That explains why they have scored only eight goals in 11 matches even though they are in eighth place. Veselin Jelusic’s side have also been goal shy, with only eight goals in 10 matches, but the Telkom Knockout Cup finalists are playing with a fluency that was missing last season. That also explains why they are fourth on the log.

Premier Soccer League matches (home teams first):