Chippa eager to build on momentum in Sundowns showdown
Chippa United will be looking to build on their success against Richards Bay when they play DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Pretoria tomorrow (8pm).
The Gqeberha side go into the match oozing confidence after Wednesday night’s 3-0 triumph against the Natal Rich Boyz at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The victory was Chippa’s first three-pointer this year under new co-coaches Thabo September and Kwanele Kopo.
Aware that tomorrow’s fixture against the Brazilians will be a real test, September said the result against Richards Bay would raise the players’ morale.
Sundowns have not lost a match in the league this season. They have played 16 games and are top of the log with 42 points, 11 clear of second-placed Stellenbosch.
The Chilli Boys are 10th with 23 points from 19 matches and only a point away from the top eight.
“It was a big win today, playing against a team that is very close to us on the log.
“We had to keep the distance between us and that happened today,” September said after the Richards Bay game.
“It is going to be good motivation going into the next game.
“It was the first win under our regime in the league, so it was very important for the players to have the belief.
“We did not play our style of football but still, we got the win that we needed to get and I am sure the players will have good confidence going into the next game.”
Chippa have struggled to score goals in the league this season and the decision to field two strikers — Elmo Kambindu and Bienvenu Eva Nga — against Richards Bay was an attempt to resolve that issue.
“That is what we asked for,” September said.
“We put in two strikers and we said we wanted more goals because we have been scoring in almost every game we have played, but we struggled in the league to score more than one goal.
“Using two strikers helped us today with the team that we were playing against with a coach who knew us and our players.
“So we knew they would try to play with the mentality to press us high and we did not allow that to happen.
“We put the pressure on them with their centre backs.
“This wins us confidence and helps the players to believe in what we are trying to do.
“Like I said, they did not play the way they would normally play but they did it for the team and that is what we are creating.
“We are creating players who can go the extra mile for the team right now and that helps.
“This gives us confidence as coaches that we have coachable players.”