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With Chippa United fighting tooth and nail to stay afloat in the Betway Premiership, interim coach Nkosohlanga Dikeni is adamant his side will avoid the drop.
“We are the pride of the Eastern Cape, and we hold our heads up and say Chippa United is not going to be relegated, and that is the main focus,” Dikeni said.
He made this statement despite Chippa’s PSL status hanging in the balance after losing 2-0 to Golden Arrows at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
Isaac Cisse and Golden Boot leader Junior Dion scored in the first half, extending the home side’s winless streak to five games.
Chippa are now just one point above the relegation playoff spot with one match to play against a rejuvenated Kaizer Chiefs team.
Former Walter Sisulu University mentor Dikeni debuted as interim head coach in a 1-1 draw against TS Galaxy.
Dikeni regards this as a golden point, given how much it has helped them as they continue to fight for league survival.
“If you look now at what’s happening and the results, you’ll think the draw against TS Galaxy in Mbombela was a big point, because look where it puts us,” Dikeni said.
“But we still have one game to play this weekend. So we’ll do the analysis this week and then work with the players to fix and correct things.
“We have to lift our heads up because this game will teach us more than we think it will in terms of what to expect in Durban.
“Looking at the log right now, there is only one thing we need to do on Saturday: one point or three points, regardless of the team name [Chiefs]; it will save us.
“We would have been happy with one point; we would have been even happier with three today. But the universe currently does not favour us.”
Reflecting on the loss to Arrows, he said: “It was a good game, especially in the second half.
“I think we controlled the intensity a little bit. We created more chances than in the second half. We looked like a bit of a threat when we made structural changes in the second half.
“But when we reflect and look at the way we conceded in the first half, it’s not really the way we want to look. Especially in the last two games of the league, where there is a dogfight, and everyone is playing for something.
“But, again, credit must go to the opposition. A well-coached team that run and are of average age, and they have the leading goal scorer.
“So, it was going to be a little bit difficult for us, but we don’t put our heads down.”
Chippa play AmaKhosi at the the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday (3pm).
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