Team spirit inspires Chippa United’s good run
Squad togetherness has helped Chippa United move out of the relegation zone, Zimbabwean coach Norman Mapeza said after a 1-0 victory against Cape Town City at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday night.
A first-half goal from striker Augustine Kwem was enough to get the Port Elizabeth-based football club the much-needed result to lift them out of the danger zone.
Their victory over the Citizens has extended Chippa’s unbeaten run to four matches in the league.
But despite the positives results, Mapeza said there was no time to rest.
“We have to remain humble — in football this is the most dangerous time,” the 47-yearold coach said.
“When things are going like this it is very easy to slow down, so what is important for them is to have discipline and maintain the positive attitude.
“But the most important thing is the discipline.
“If you are going to lose it because we are getting points then we are in trouble.”
What has helped tremendously is that the Chilli Boys have also tightened up their defence.
“Whenever you get to a new club, the foundation is to build a solid defence and have a good goalkeeper.
“We have a good goalkeeper and quality defenders, who understand each other.
“Sometimes there are fullbacks who can join the attack.”
Chippa’s good form started with the team’s 2-0 win against amaZulu and that was followed by a 3-0 success against Black Leopards.
The Chilli Boys were looking to make it a hat-trick of wins against Baroka, but they had to settle for a goalless draw.
Mapeza said Saturday’s win was tough to pull off.
“It was a good game of football.
“We had our chances in the first half and second as well.
“We had some decent opportunities, but credit should go to the boys — they have worked so hard.
“Second half we defended so well, we knew we were playing against the wind.
“It was not easy, but we were very disciplined.”
Thanks to Saturday’s victory the Chilli Boys have now moved five positions up on the log table.
“When I arrived here two months ago I knew the situation of the club.
“I thought ‘let me take the challenge and help these boys’.
“Not taking anything away from the other coaches; I think they did very well.
“Surviving relegation here is not easy.”
The coach said there was a good vibe in the camp and that all the players where pulling their weight during training.
“You can tell every day that they are willing to learn and push.
“As a coach I think those are the positives we always leave the training ground and go home with.
“We don’t have numbers, we have a very small squad and some guys were not here today [Saturday], like Lerato Manzini, who lost his father, and Kurt Lentjies, who went for his Caf C licence.
“So we took two guys from our Multi-Choice Diski team, but we have to keep pushing and I hope, come January, we will beef up the squad.”
Maritzburg United move up to eight place in the Absa Premiership following a 1-0 win over Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday afternoon.
Yusuf Jappie’s solitary strike secured a valuable away win for the Team of Choice in build-up to their Telkom Knockout final showdown against Mamelodi Sundowns.
A seventh league defeat in succession leaves Rise and Shine in 14th place, a mere point off bottom spot.
The hosts dominated the early exchanges and conjured the first chance of the match through Mpho Mvelase in the 23rd minute.
The Polokwane fullback raced into the area before firing a rasping shot wide.
Jabulani Maluleke was Polokwane’s main protagonist and fired his shot in the 43rd minute straight down the throat of Bongani Mpandle, as the hosts ended the half firmly on the front foot.
It would be the visitors, though, to open the scoring as Jappie curled his left-footed free-kick past George Chigova just before the hour mark.
Rise and Shine almost found the equaliser from a free-kick of their own moments later, but Maluleke’s shot cannoned against the woodwork and out of danger.