Chippa United head coach Thabo September is hoping for a few favours from the opposition and victory in their last Betway Premiership game against Marumo Gallants in Bloemfontein to finish in the top eight despite their slight drop in form.
The Eastern Cape outfit, who at the start of April were in close contention for continental football, find themselves in the worrying position where they might fall out of the top eight bracket, a position in which they last finished a decade ago.
The top eight teams will contest the money-spinning MTN8 cup competition next season.
Though they are in eighth position with 30 points, they have lost the last four of their league games, the most recent being a 3-0 defeat to newly crowned champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the Buffalo City Stadium on Wednesday.
They are under pressure from Magesi, Richards Bay, Marumo Gallants and Kaizer Chiefs, who are all just below them.
All those teams have games in hand and are level with or trail Chippa by fewer than three points.
“If you calculate the numbers, the top eight is still there. We are going to Bloemfontein and play to win,” September said.
“When we get there, we really have to put in a good fight and come back with a result to get into that top eight.”
Despite the score line reflecting otherwise in the Downs game, September gathered positives heading into Gallants on Saturday.
Those mostly include their set pieces and defensively pressing Downs in the first half, which limited their tiki-taka football from the back because of the close spaces created by Chippa.
“It was a good game. First half, especially, we were in Sundowns’ face and tried to play a high-tempo game and pressed them high and did not give them space,” September said.
“It was unfortunate to concede that goal, but beyond that, it was a great first.
“And of course, the legs come in when you play a high-intensity game like that.
“In the second half, Sundowns had the bench to bring in and that made a difference.
“They managed the game well and got two goals.
“But we created chances in the first half and in the second half to get something [small] out of the game, especially with the set pieces and with Giovanni [Philander] in the first half with the crosses on the left.
“I think it was a great response from the players after losing away to Sundowns 3-0.
“I think this time we really fought from start to the end.”
Daily Dispatch
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