After a stuttering start to their 2023/24 DStv Premiership campaign, Cape Town Spurs will hope to get back to winning ways when they host Chippa United at the Athlone Stadium on Friday evening.
Kick-off is at 7:30pm CAT (SA, GMT+2)
Spurs remain winless upon their return to the PSL and recorded defeats against TS Galaxy, Sekhukhune United and Polokwane City in each of their last three matches.
The Urban Warriors faced Sekhukhune United in their most recent game on home soil, as Babina Noko walked away with a 2-0 victory thanks to second-half goals from Edwin Gyimah and Chibuike Ohizu.
As it stands, Spurs are in 16th position on the league table, while Chippa occupy 12th spot after four games played.
Following the Urban Warriors' 3-1 loss to Sekhukhune, coach Shaun Bartlett urged his side to get over their ‘nerves’ as a new team in the DStv Premiership.
“I don’t know if it is anxiety or nerves, but we have to get over this because it is not going to help us going forward,” Bartlett said.
“We’ve to ensure that we pick up points as quickly as possible. Maybe the only positive thing is the fact that we managed to score a goal, but I think we pushed on after we conceded the third goal.
“We need to do that from the beginning, not when we are in a losing position.”
While Chippa may have points on the board, as opposed to that of Spurs’, the Gqeberha side are also winless in the 23/24 league season.
The Chilli Boys head to Cape Town on the back of a 2-0 home defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns, which came as their first defeat of the season.
Prior to the loss against Downs, Chippa recorded back-to-back stalemates against Kaizer Chiefs, TS Galaxy and Orlando Pirates respectively.
With only three points to their name after four matches played, coach Morgan Mammila has suggested that he and his technical team will go back to the drawing board in troubleshooting the situation.
“Though the outcomes leave us disappointed, I find solace in our performance (against Sundowns),” Mammila said.
“Our matches against top-tier SA teams – the hard-fought points against Pirates and Chiefs, as well as the draw with TS Galaxy – are vital in the bigger picture. These points serve to propel us past rival teams.
“Losing against my direct competitors would indeed be concerning, but losing to the likes of Sundowns, who remain unbeaten in 24 league matches, is a different story. We must devise a strategy, but the proximity of our performance to victory is evident.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Cape Town Spurs:
Therlo Moosa: With Spurs in need of goals, Moosa is yet to emulate the goal scoring abilities he showcased in the Motsepe Foundation Championship last season. As a standout point to his game play, Moosa’s movement and box IQ could cause problems in the Chilli Boys defence.
Chippa United:
Ayabulela Magqwaka: The former Ajax Cape Town youth academy product has been an important player for Chippa United in the last couple of seasons, given his ability to play in more than one position. With Spurs likely to go on the attack, Magqwaka’s know-how in defensive situations will no doubt be relied upon.
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