Chilli Boys on break after win

CHIPPA United now have a two-week break after their hard-fought 1-0 win against Free State Stars in a Premier Soccer League fixture.

Their next encounter is against Mamelodi Sundowns on April 4 and star midfielder Mark Mayambela hopes the rest will have a positive effect on the team.

The break comes at a crucial time for the Chilli Boys, after having struggled to grab three points in eight of their previous matches this year.

But they ended their drought in the league when they beat Stars in a return match at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, after losing 2-1 to the same side in the Nedbank Cup.

Mayambela welcomed the break, but admitted he was not too sure what effect it would have on the team.

“We might use it to rectify a lot of things within the team, tactically and physically,” he said.

“Maybe it might also be a negative with us having won the game.

“The confidence and the continuity is something that we have to deal with as a team.”

Speaking about the win at the weekend, the former Ajax Cape Town player said getting three points was vital.

“Everybody in the team is happy about the three points. I think it was the ultimate goal, because we haven’t won in the past eight games,” he said.

“The last time we won was our first game of the year against AmaZulu. We have been drawing and losing in between.

“We needed the win more than anything. The three points were more important than anything else.”

Heavy rains the night before made conditions difficult and heavy under foot at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium.

Mayambela said playing in conditions like that was never easy for any team, especially for a team like Chippa who like to build up from the back, play short passes in going forward and trying to penetrate .

“It’s not easy, it’s slippery, it’s wet and there was a lot of mud in the grass,” he said.

“It was a bit difficult, but the three points and the win was the ultimate goal.”