Durban — Chippa United will be looking to build on their first win under Kurt Lentjies when they welcome terrible travellers, Golden Arrows, to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday at 15:30.
Kurt Lentjies took over at the Chilli Boys as a caretaker coach in the middle of November after Coach Gavin Hunt was placed under a ‘precautionary suspension’ following a string of poor results that the club deemed “The worst start to a league season ever”. A Mogakolodi Ngele's thunderbolt free-kick gave his side an away 1-0 win against Baroka in their last match.
The added advantage of a full 10 days of rest should add relevant freshness to Chippa’s ranks ahead of this clash with Arrows. Lentjies though would have identified his side’s problems in the final third with Chippa’s one and only shot on target stealing victory for them last time out.
“This game, we should have won by two, three or four goals, but we didn't take our chances. But let's be grateful we got three points by scoring one goal and not conceding,” He said.
On top of that, The Chilli Boys go into this contest with the tag of “ second lowest-scoring team in the league” hanging on their shoulders with the side having registered just four strikes in their opening 11 games.
Mid-table placed Arrows will be looking to kick on from their last victory against Baroka, a five goal thriller that ended 3-2 in favour of the home side at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Kwamashu,Durban on Sunday afternoon.
Arrows, who had endured a spell of three consecutive nil-nil stalemates before the visit of Baroka, will hope their three-goal haul against Bakgakga is the beginning of a return to form in front of goals.The Durban-based side, with 17 goals, ranks among the league’s highest scorers.
Coach Lehlohonolo Seema will hope a return to his old stomping ground will bring about luck as his side also have the worst away record in the league, which will make the Chippa faithful very happy. Abafana Bes’thende have not been able to win a single game away from home in their five outings and have just three points out of possible 15 away from home.
It’s gonna be interesting to see whether Lentjies will put his faith in the same side that secured victory in the last game with the likes of Bienvenu Eva Nga and Ngele leading the line, or will he opt for a fresh and pacey approach with former Mamelodi Sundowns man Thokozani Sekotlong waiting in the sidelines.
IOL Sport