Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Rowell returns to help struggling People’s Team
THE Mother City’s NFD clubs continue their quest for promotion to the PSL top flight this weekend.
Highest-placed Cape Town All Stars were in action yesterday, and today it’s the turn of Vasco da Gama, Santos and FC Cape Town.
Vasco are home to former top-flight club Moroka Swallows at Parow Park this afternoon, while at the same time in Athlone, Santos host African Warriors.
Parow-based Vasco come off a morale-boosting 2-0 away win over Warriors in the Free State – and head coach Tony de Nobrega has implored his men to continue in the same vein.
“Look, Swallows will be tough, there are no easy games in the NFD,” he said. “Swallows have a quality team, while we have worked well at training this week. I suppose both teams want to get out of trouble at the moment. But we had a good win away last week and we have to build on that.
“This is our home game and we have to make the most of it, especially considering how difficult it is away from home.”
Vasco will be without Khotso Chabeli, the former Mpumalanga Black Aces midfielder signed earlier this season, as well as ex-Ajax Cape Town right back Matthew Rowell. Rowell was red- carded recently against FC Cape Town and has one more game to serve of a two-match ban.
Meanwhile, struggling Santos, yet to win a match this sea- son, are hoping for a change of fortune against Warriors.
An interesting recent addition to the People’s Team is 27year- old midfielder Shafeeq Arendse.
Arendse was in the Lansdowne- based outfit’s squad when they were in the PSL, but was released in 2013. He then played in the lower divisions for ASD Academy and Steenberg United, only to be recently re-signed in the wake of the club’s continuing struggles on the field.
His experience could be useful for a young Santos side.
“It’s good to be back at Santos and being thrown straight into the thick of things,” Arendse said. “I’m overwhelmed being here again and with the sudden change of things. I just need to work on my fitness to command a regular place in the team.”