Chilli Boys desperate for points to finish in top eight

his team desperately chase the points they need to secure a top eight finish in the Premier Soccer League.

On Sunday, the Chilli Boys lock horns with the KwaZuluNatal side at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. (3.30pm)

Mbenyane said as much as the Maritzburg were in dire need of the points to move away from the relegation zone, Chippa too needed the win to stay in the PSL top eight.

“Sunday’s game is very important to us. We cannot go for a draw, we have to get the maximum points. The teams that are below us are now getting closer,” he said.

“We have lost two games and now seem to be under pressure. We have to ensure the three points at home.

“We have to make our Bay supporters proud so that they can fill up the stand.”

The midfielder said players were working hard at training.

“Everyone is ready for the game. There is a lot of competition among the players. Sometimes the coach finds it difficult to choose who to play. “It shows everyone is ready. “We’ve been out of action for two weeks and the players are hungry to get onto the field.”

Mbenyane said one of their focus areas at training was on speed, as their opponents are known to have pace.

“The way that Dan [Malesela] coaches, he is not someone who only concentrates mainly on our mistakes. He knows that there are many things we as players are capa- ble of doing,” Mbenyane said.

“He also doesn’t focus much on our opponents.

“We know Maritzburg have much speed on the field. At training those are one of the things we were working on to try match up to their speed.

“The training was hard. We were running non-stop.

“That is our plan for the game, to make them work, be- cause they will make us work.

“They need the points more than us, but we also need the points to stay in the top eight.”

Mbenyane, who turned 28 on Tuesday, said a win against Maritzburg would be the best birthday present from his teammates.

The Chilli Boys are seventh on the log with 32 points from 22 matches.