NO CLANGER – TINKLER

‘The players have to be psychologically ready for tough Maritzburg battle’

KJELL JONEVRET KJELL JONEVRET says his side would need to up their game after what was a below par performance against Baroka FC in midweek, if they are to beat Chippa United at Orlando Stadium tomorrow (kick-off 8.15pm).

Orlando Pirates played to a 1-1 draw against the relegation-threatened Limpopo outfit after Senegal’s Issa Sarr rescued his side with a superb header in the dying seconds.

What displeased Jonevret most was how his side left spaces open at the back for their opponents to exploit, while also lacking aggression

CAPE Town City coach Eric Tinkler has no doubt about his priority as the Absa Premiership log-leading side focus on their next challenge. After defeating Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday, next up is a trip to Maritzburg United on Monday (kick-off 3pm) – and the message from Tinkler is clear and unequivocal.

“The league is very tight,” he said. “So what needs to happen now, when we prepare for the Maritzburg game, is that the players have to be brought back to earth. All the good work against Chiefs will mean nothing if we don’t get a result against Maritzburg.

“The players have to be psychologically ready for another challenge. They shouldn’t think that because they beat Chiefs, Maritzburg will be easy… If they have that attitude, then we will come unstuck.”

City and Chiefs produced an enthralling PSL encounter at the former World Cup venue in Green Point on Tuesday. It resulted in City maintaining their position at the top of the standings with 49 points, followed by Mamelodi Sundowns on 47, Wits 45, Chiefs 45 and SuperSport United 40.

And what an occasion it proved to be. It was a tense, hugely exciting match that could have gone either way, until a goal from City striker Judas Mosemeadi snatched maximum points at the death.

“It wasn’t good for my health, that’s for sure,” said Tinkler of the stress during the rollercoaster clash.

“But I thought we weren’t very good defensively, in both halves. The plan was to ensure that Shabba and George (Siphiwe Tshabalala and George Maluleka) didn’t play, that we never give them space. Instead we gave them time and freedom on the ball. But the good thing was that going forward we were good. We always looked like we could score on the transition.

“Chiefs came out very strong in the second half and they probably deserved to go ahead. We soaked up a lot of pressure. But we were resilient, we showed character and finished stronger. I always thought Chiefs would tire late (Amakhosi had come off a Cup game that went to extra-time and penalties). Any team could have won it, but in the end our character and the players’ never-say-die approach proved to be the difference. And it’s that attitude that wins a team POINTING THE WAY: Cape Town City head coach Eric Tinkler wants maximum effort and full points when his men take on Maritzburg United on Monday after their dramatic, last-gasp victory over fellow title-contenders Kaizer Chiefs on Tuesday. the title.”

But, as Tinkler has been at pains to bring across to his squad, the Chiefs result is a thing of the past. If City are to maintain their challenge, if they are to go all the way, they cannot look back – the only thing that matters is the next game. And that is Maritzburg on Monday, when they will need all their focus, unity, desire and indomitable spirit once again.

Meanwhile, with Ajax Cape Town still in a rather precarious position, Sunday’s PSL fixture against Platinum Stars takes on even greater significance. The sides meet at the Cape Town Stadium (kick-off 3pm), with coach Stanley Menzo aware that victory is paramount.

Ajax are in 11th position, with 26 points, but the critical point is that just four points separate them from last-placed Baroka FC (22 points). That’s how tight it is in the skirmish to avoid relegation from the top-flight. At this stage, with five games to play, the Cape side can ill-afford to lose to a team in their vicinity of the league table.

The 2-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday, therefore, probably didn’t concern Menzo all that much because the Pretoria team are among the contenders for the title.

But Sunday’s game – Platinum are 10th, also 26 points – is highly important for the Ajax coach. These are the fixtures his team should be winning if they are to move away from the dreaded drop zone.

Again, as it has been all season, and probably a few seasons before as well, Ajax’s big problem is turning possession and territorial dominance into goals. It was this area Menzo highlighted as the reason why they lost to Sundowns.

“We played well for 60 minutes,” said Menzo.

“But Sundowns’ quality in attack was the big difference. We created chances, and I don’t think it was due to a lack of concentration. It’s just the quality that’s lacking. In football, you are always going to have those moments when it is all about what you do with the scoring chances. We couldn’t finish our chances – Sundowns did.”

Menzo believes his players had showed enough against Sundowns to give him confidence going into Sunday’s encounter.

“If I look at the first 60 minutes against Sundowns, then we can get the points we need. We are four points above the relegation zone, but, in the PSL, things change after every game.”