As Chippa United return to Mdantsane’s Sisa Dukashe Stadium on Saturday to host Baroka, club chair Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi is confident they will bounce back.
This is despite the fact that the Port Elizabeth side have yet to win a game in the 2018/2019 PSL season.
The Chilli Boys are in the basement of the log standings, with only one point.
This was salvaged during their uninspiring encounter against newly promoted Black Leopards, when they drew 2-2 in NU2 three weeks ago.
It was this result that saw the only Eastern Cape PSL outfit firing coach Dan “Dance” Malesela for the third time, and roping in former SuperSport United coach Eric Tinkler.
In their opening game of the season, the Chilli Boys were beaten 2-0 by Bloemfontein Celtic.
They went on to host Orlando Pirates at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where they lost 1-0 after centre-back Gaona Gerald Modisane scored an own goal.
The Chilli Boys’ latest disappointing result was against SuperSport United, who beat them 2-1 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.
Chippa’s goal came from Kurt Lentjies, who was assisted by captain Mark Mayambela in the 27th minute.
But that was only after Matsatsantsa took the lead when midfielder Teboho Mokoena opened the score in the 16th minute.
Mokoena’s teammate Evans Rusike then came through with the winning goal in the 42nd minute.
But Mpengesi said the Chilli Boys’ hopes were still high.
This was especially so as they were returning to their happy hunting ground at Sisa Dukashe, where they have lost only once – to Ajax Cape Town last season.
“There’s still hope for us, because at least now coach Tinkler has enough time – two weeks – to prepare the boys for the Baroka game,” Mpengesi said.
“So we have that hope that things will change, since we are playing at Sisa Dukashe.
“We are not panicking, because it’s still early in the season.”
He said Tinkler’s good performance at Matsatsantsa kept the Chilli Boys’ hopes of improving their position on the log alive.
“We know what [Tinkler] wants to achieve with the club, so I think from this Saturday we are going to turn the corner,” Mpengesi said.
“[This is] because Sisa is our best ground – we [aren’t ] easily beaten there, and the boys have been working hard.”
Mpengesi admitted that they had failed to upset Baroka last season.
But he said things had changed at his club – though it has had three coaches in one season.
“Our history with Baroka is not good,” Mpengesi said.
“We didn’t beat them last season and they did beat us.
“So we are not going into this arrogant, we are respecting them as a formidable side.
“But I was happy with the way the boys performed against SuperSport United.
“[This is] because they were searching for goals – they just needed to be more clinical in their finishing.”
Chilli Boys can cook up win over Baroka
Image: Chippa United / Facebook
As Chippa United return to Mdantsane’s Sisa Dukashe Stadium on Saturday to host Baroka, club chair Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi is confident they will bounce back.
This is despite the fact that the Port Elizabeth side have yet to win a game in the 2018/2019 PSL season.
The Chilli Boys are in the basement of the log standings, with only one point.
This was salvaged during their uninspiring encounter against newly promoted Black Leopards, when they drew 2-2 in NU2 three weeks ago.
It was this result that saw the only Eastern Cape PSL outfit firing coach Dan “Dance” Malesela for the third time, and roping in former SuperSport United coach Eric Tinkler.
In their opening game of the season, the Chilli Boys were beaten 2-0 by Bloemfontein Celtic.
They went on to host Orlando Pirates at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where they lost 1-0 after centre-back Gaona Gerald Modisane scored an own goal.
The Chilli Boys’ latest disappointing result was against SuperSport United, who beat them 2-1 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.
Chippa’s goal came from Kurt Lentjies, who was assisted by captain Mark Mayambela in the 27th minute.
But that was only after Matsatsantsa took the lead when midfielder Teboho Mokoena opened the score in the 16th minute.
Mokoena’s teammate Evans Rusike then came through with the winning goal in the 42nd minute.
But Mpengesi said the Chilli Boys’ hopes were still high.
This was especially so as they were returning to their happy hunting ground at Sisa Dukashe, where they have lost only once – to Ajax Cape Town last season.
“There’s still hope for us, because at least now coach Tinkler has enough time – two weeks – to prepare the boys for the Baroka game,” Mpengesi said.
“So we have that hope that things will change, since we are playing at Sisa Dukashe.
“We are not panicking, because it’s still early in the season.”
He said Tinkler’s good performance at Matsatsantsa kept the Chilli Boys’ hopes of improving their position on the log alive.
“We know what [Tinkler] wants to achieve with the club, so I think from this Saturday we are going to turn the corner,” Mpengesi said.
“[This is] because Sisa is our best ground – we [aren’t ] easily beaten there, and the boys have been working hard.”
Mpengesi admitted that they had failed to upset Baroka last season.
But he said things had changed at his club – though it has had three coaches in one season.
“Our history with Baroka is not good,” Mpengesi said.
“We didn’t beat them last season and they did beat us.
“So we are not going into this arrogant, we are respecting them as a formidable side.
“But I was happy with the way the boys performed against SuperSport United.
“[This is] because they were searching for goals – they just needed to be more clinical in their finishing.”
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