In having one of the worst records in the DStv Premiership currently, Cape Town Spurs will look to get back to winning ways when they welcome Golden Arrows to the Athlone Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Kick-off is at 7:30pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).
Coach Shaun Bartlett and company have found the going tough in the 2023/24 DStv Premiership so far and are yet to record a point upon their return to the PSL.
The Urban Warriors are currently on a five-match losing streak in the league and sit at the base of the DStv Premiership table.
Spurs were up against Steve Komphela’s Moroka Swallows in their most recent encounter and recorded a demoralising 3-1 loss at the Dobsonville Stadium at the end of last month.
Bartlett often reiterated the need for his side to be more clinical in the final third, as the Urban Warriors have managed to score just two goals in the last handful of matches.
Speaking after their defeat to the Dube Birds, Bartlett mentioned that he won't be pushing the panic buttons as yet and that his side will look to the upcoming games to correct their ways.
“Of course, as a coach you want to be successful and it’s not the best start to the Premiership,” Bartlett said.
“The turnaround time between the playoffs and the start of the season was not the best. It has been a rude awakening for everybody involved.”
'NOT LOOKING FOR THE APPROVAL OF OTHERS'
While Spurs have been under-performing, Arrows find themselves among the big boys in the DStv Premiership and currently occupy second spot on the log.
After six matches played, Abafana Bes’Thende recorded three wins, two draws and a single stalemate as former coach Vusimuzi Vilakzi hit the ground running at the Durban-based outfit.
However, Vilakazi left the club during the recent international break, having joined Chippa United as their new Technical Director.
Mabhuti Khenyeza was then roped in as the club’s new head coach, with his first assignment being that of a fixture against Stellenbosch FC this past weekend, with the two sides sharing the spoils in a 0-0 draw at the Mpumalanga Stadium on Saturday.
Nevertheless, Khenyeza believes that he is ready for the job at hand and that he is not concerned about the attention he would be getting in the press.
“I don’t worry about the press. I have been in football for how many years?,” Khenyeza said.
“I wouldn’t have done what I have done all these years and focused on who says what.
“When you coach players, you are not looking for the approval of others. The most important thing is we need to see progress in the system.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Cape Town Spurs
Ashley Cupido: Cupido has struggled to emulate the goalscoring form he showcased last season but will once again be provided an opportunity to kick-start his campaign against Arrows. Arrows will have be aware of Cupido’s pace and also his clever movement inside the 18-yard-area.
Golden Arrows
Bradley Cross: With Spurs likely to play on the front-foot while pushing high up on the pitch, Cross could be afforded the possibility to run into space in counter-attacking situations. Cross is known for his industry and will be a threat going forward from the left-back position.
