Cape Town Spurs are determined to reverse their fortunes as they prepare to host Chippa United at Athlone Stadium this Friday evening following a dismal start to their DStv Premiership campaign.
The Urban Warriors have yet to taste victory since their return to the top flight, suffering defeats at the hands of TS Galaxy, Sekhukhune United, and Polokwane City in their last three outings.
In their most recent home game, the Urban Warriors faced Sekhukhune United and suffered a 2-0 loss, courtesy of second-half strikes from Edwin Gyimah and Chibuike Ohizu.
Currently, Spurs languish in 16th place on the league table, while Chippa occupies the 12th spot after four matches played.
Following the Urban Warriors’ 3-1 loss to Sekhukhune, coach Shaun Bartlett implored his team to overcome their jitters as newcomers to the DStv Premiership. He commented, “I don’t know if it’s anxiety or nerves, but we have to get over this because it won’t help us going forward. We must ensure that we pick up points as quickly as possible. Perhaps the only positive thing is that we managed to score a goal, but I believe we need to be proactive right from the start, not only when we find ourselves in a losing position.”
Cape Town Spurs coach Shaun Bartlett has confirmed the club is searching for a striker following their poor start to the DStv Premiership.
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On the other hand, although Chippa have collected some points, they too have yet to secure a win this season in the DStv Premiership. The Chilli Boys head to Cape Town after a 2-0 defeat at home to Mamelodi Sundowns, their first loss of the season.
Before that setback, Chippa had recorded consecutive draws against Kaizer Chiefs, TS Galaxy, and Orlando Pirates. With only three points from four matches, coach Morgan Mammila acknowledged that he and his technical team would go back to the drawing board to address their situation.
Mammila stated, “Although the outcomes leave us disappointed, I take comfort in our performance against Sundowns. Our matches against top-tier SA teams, such as 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 to 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.”
Despite their struggles, key players for Spurs include young defender Khaya Mfecane, who found the net in their last game, and forward Therlo Moosa, who is eager to score against Chippa United.
For Chippa, midfielder Goodman Mosele has displayed strength and netted a goal in their draw with Pirates, while versatile midfielder Ayabulela Magqwaka has been a solid presence for his team over an extended period.
