De Sa’s home delights
Maritzburg coach upbeat as his team host Komphela’s side
MAZOLA MOLEFE
WITH growing calls that Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza should not delay the appointment of a permanent coach any further, versatile player Abbubaker Mobara said it was too early to press panic buttons ahead of this afternoon’s Absa Premiership clash against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
The cries for a new man to relieve beleaguered interim coach Augusto Palacios of his duties are likely to get even louder should the Buccaneers fail to end their five-match winless run in all competitions at Loftus Versfeld.
“I think when the chairman is ready to hire someone permanently he will,” said Mobara in his forthright manner.
“Right now coach Palacios is in charge and we have not been told anything different. I feel we have been unlucky with results, especially the goalless draw against Platinum Stars on Wednesday.
“We had such an impressive mid-season break, winning our friendly games and showing we can still compete. So it came as a bit of a shock to a lot of us when we couldn’t win our first game of the year.”
Pirates fans had a meltdown on social media following the poor showing away to Dikwena earlier in the week, a result that further derailed the club’s hopes of staying with the title chasing pack.
They are now nine points behind log leaders SuperSport United, who will not be in action this weekend due to the beginning of their CAF Confederation Cup commitments.
Mobara said beating rivals Sundowns will guarantee they stay in contention for the championship.
“It’s the perfect time to show our skills and ability,” said Mobara, who can play in defence or in an anchorman role in midfield.
“We are not saying it is going to be easy against Sundowns. We are going to have to concentrate until the final whistle.
THERE can hardly be a more tantalising invitation for Kaizer Chiefs and Cape Town City to take over the lead of the Absa Premiership when they face Maritzburg United and Ajax Cape Town respectively in the headline Absa Premiership matches tonight.
With the leading sides SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits in Madagascar and Reunion respectively for continental club assignments this weekend, the Soweto giants can climb to the summit if they beat Maritzburg and Cape Town City drop points in the Cape derby.
Chiefs are a point behind the trio of SuperSport, Wits and Cape Town City, although they played a match more than SuperSport and two more than Wits. However, points in the bag are worth more than games in hand.
The psychological boost that comes with heading the standings is almost immeasurable. Big budget outfits like Chiefs are expected to lead the way, so going to the top would satisfy their multitude of supporters and ease the pressure on Chiefs and their coach, Steve Komphela.
He has been under fire since he left Maritzburg and answered Chiefs’ call two seasons ago.
Continuing the winning momentum from the tail end of 2016 was vital, and they managed it with a comfortable 3-1 win over Free State Stars.
Another win will allow Komphela to breathe much easier, especially if they are on top.
A sign of how seriously Chiefs are treating this match is the fact Komphela travelled to Polokwane to run the rule over his former team. He would have noted that the fighting spirit he instilled in them when he guided them to a maiden top eight finish two seasons back is still intact.
The Team of Choice led 1-0 until Polokwane City levelled through a late penalty.
Some of the players he worked with, like Bandile Shandu, Mohau Mokate and Deolin Mekoa are frontline players who will carry the Maritzburg attack tonight.
Mekoa, in particular, is gunning for three points, especially after they lost 2-0 in the first round and were bumped out of the Telkom Knockout on penalties.
“Chiefs is a big one; we all know what is at stake. We have to give them a run. This is also a good time to face them because we are all fresh and we are at the same level,” said the Bafana Bafana fringe player.
With Zimbabwe international striker Evans Rusike and winger Devon Saal in the mix, the Team of Choice expect to have enough firepower to counter whatever Chiefs throw at them from their arsenal of Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bernard Parker, Joseph Molongoane and Keagan Buchanan.
New Maritzburg coach Roger de Sa must alter his defence because veteran central defender Bevan Fransman is suspended. Even with playmaker Kurt Lentjies suspended, De Sa has viewed it as an opportunity for another player to step up for what he expects will be a bruiser.
“It’s unfortunate that Kurt is out but someone else has an opportunity to put their hand up,” said De Sa, who takes charge of his first home match.
“Chiefs are a team on the up, and it’s good to host them at our small changeroom, and make them feel a little uncomfortable.”
There will be home debuts, too, for strikers Knox Mutizwa and Chiukepo Msowoya of Golden Arrows when Bloemfontein Celtic come to KwaMashu this afternoon. Both sides will look to bounce back from midweek defeats.
Arrows were thumped 5-2 at SuperSport where Malawian Msowoya scored an own goal on debut. Celtic were unlucky to lose 1-0 against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Despite the heavy loss, Arrows coach Clinton Larsen drew positives from the outing. “The one positive was that we never gave up and fought to the very last minute. Individual errors hurt us on the day but I saw more positives out of this defeat than from some of our victories.”
The First Division resumes this weekend. Only AmaZulu from the four KwaZuluNatal sides play away. They visit University of Pretoria today looking to extend their unbeaten run to four matches in all competitions.
Rookies Real Kings will look to make the most of home advantage in Clermont today against FC Cape Town, who are a point and one position behind the Durban side in the lower half of the standings.
Log leaders Thanda Royal Zulu will be expected to maintain their unbeaten record this season when midtable Mbombela United visit Richards Bay tomorrow.
Second-placed Royal Eagles host Stellenbosch in a title-chasing six-pointer in another big clash tomorrow.