Chilli Boys not taking foot off pedal

Chippa United coach Clinton Larsen will field his strongest possible team against tricky Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila when the sides face off in a Nedbank Cup last-16 fixture at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (3pm).

The Chilli Boys booked themselves a spot in the last 16 of the competition after beating Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1.

Larsen said he had been keeping a close eye on the Limpopo side because he did not want to be caught off guard on match day.

He had already identified players to look out for.

“In terms of the approach to the game, we are putting out a very strong team.

“I think we have been consistent in terms of our selection,” Larsen said.

“There are a few guys who are finding their match fitness and are getting there.

“But we are really putting out a very strong team to make sure that we take this game seriously to try and get to the quarterfinals.

“This weekend, we are playing against a very tricky opponent in TTM.

“We watched them [play] against Polokwane and saw how they upset them in the last-32 round.

“They have a few experienced players in their team such as Edward Manqele and Carlington Nyadombo, just to name a few.

“It’s a team that plays good possession, with quick breaks.”

Larsen said he had a good idea of what to expect from Chippa’s opponents on Saturday but that cup competitions always produced a twist.

The coach said he had seen many upsets in the competition in the past, so his troops had to be ready for whatever their opponents could throw at them.

“But most importantly, we need to impose ourselves on this team. Being a home game for us, we really need to show our qualities and make sure that we get over the line.

“We have a huge opportunity in front of us to get to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup,” he said.

“That is the momentum that we are trying to build to maintain this unbeaten run for as long as we can.

“It’s four games now and we want to continue this streak in both the league and the cup.

“We are really looking forward to the game.

“We are going to show our opponents the respect they deserve for reaching the last 16 and try to get a positive result.”