Chippa United eager to tackle Kaizer Chiefs

Wounded Kaizer Chiefs will be a determined lot in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, but Chippa United coach Lehlohonolo Seema is confident after what he saw from his side in their DStv Premiership soccer opener at the weekend.  

While Chiefs stumbled to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, the Chill Boys’ mentor says their draw away to Cape Town City was a huge confidence-booster for his young team.

Seema believes they have what it takes to hand Amakhosi a second straight defeat at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm).

Chippa were impressive in the draw against the Citizens and were unlucky not to come home with all three points.

Augustine Kwem levelled the score for Chippa after Cape Town City led in the first half through a goal from Craig Martin.

The Chilli Boys had seven shots on target, compared to the two of the Cape Town side.

Asked if he was disappointed by the fact that his players struggled to score goals, Seema said: “Not at all, it’s the first game and the guys are coming into a new environment and they will get there.

“Whatever that we were working on it was only tested today.

“The good thing is that we are able to create them [the opportunities].

“I am not disappointed as we are going to go back and work and, like I have said, there is still a long way to go.

“There is still a lot of room for improvement and I am actually glad that they created the [chances for] goals.

“We will take a point against a good team away from home and we will now prepare for the next game on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old coach said City had started the game exactly how they expected them to

“They are a team that will start and try to get that early goal and then control the match.

“They are a team that can use the field very well, they play between the lines well.

“But we prepared for them very well and I think we held them for long periods.

“We said if we hold them for longer our guys would grow with confidence, especially the new boys that we have in the team. We gave a soft goal away.

“I know they set traps, but we are happy with the way it finished and in the second half I think they only had one or two chances at goal.”

- HeraldLIVE