Chippa plan smash-and-grab against Stellies at Athlone

Chippa United will be looking to create some distance between themselves and the bottom clubs by beating Stellenbosch at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm).

Chippa are 13th on the log with 20 points from 21 matches.

They are just six points from the automatic relegation zone and two points from the relegation playoff spot.

A win over Stellies on Saturday is critical for them to not only maintain their lead but also compete for a spot in the top eight.

The Gqeberha side lost crucial points in their previous two Betway Premiership matches, losing 3-1 to Marumo Gallants and registering a draw against relegation-threatened Magesi FC.

They will look to smash-and-grab the three points when they play Stellies to improve their chances of finishing in the top eight again, which remains possible because of the tightness of the log.

In their previous game, the Chilli Boys took the lead shortly before halftime, with Ayabulela Konqoba scoring.

In the second half, Motherwell-born Somila Ntsundwana extended the lead by scoring the second goal for the Gqeberha side.

However, Chippa failed to defend their lead once more, allowing Magesi to equalise with two goals from Mcedi Vandala and Sifiso Luthuli at the Seshego Stadium in Polokwane.

After the draw against Magesi, coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi acknowledged that achieving maximum points against Stellies would be challenging.

However, he said, they would work extremely hard to return with a positive result.

• Kaizer Chiefs defender Aden McCarthy has urged the Amakhosi faithful to rally behind them amid the “challenging time”, as they push for a top-three finish.

McCarthy is odds-on to feature when Chiefs face bottom-placed Magesi at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow (6pm).

In their last outing last Sunday, Chiefs beat Durban City 1-0 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg to avoid what would have been their first fourth-straight league loss.

“I plead that they [supporters] stick with us through these challenging times. Their support will help us do better on the field,” McCarthy said.

“We need to have the same vision, and that vision is finishing in the top three no matter what happens with other teams.

“We really need that to play continental football again next season.”

McCarthy is raring to return to action after missing the match against Durban through suspension.

The defender emphasised that they were treating the Magesi fixture like any other game, despite the fact that Dikwena tša Meetse were bottom of the table.

“Mentally and physically, I think I’m in the best position and shape I can be in the season.

“I’ve had injuries at the beginning of the season, but now I’ve been doing a lot of recovery work, looking after my body,” he said.

“I’m very confident going into the game against Magesi. Missing games is never nice.

“We should treat this Magesi game as any other game like a derby or a Sundowns game.

“They are fighting for survival, so that means it won’t be an easy game. We need the same mentality for all our fixtures.”

Sibongiseni “Ox” Mthethwa is another Chiefs player who will return from suspension against Magesi.

This weekend fixtures:

Betway Premiership

Saturday: Polokwane vs AmaZulu, Old Peter Mokaba (3.30pm); Stellenbosch vs Chippa, Athlone (3.30pm); Chiefs vs Magesi, Moses Mabhida (6pm)

Sunday: Siwelele vs Orbit, Free State (3.30pm); Arrows vs Sekhukhune, King Zwelithini (3.30pm); Galaxy vs Pirates, Mbombela (3.30pm); Durban vs Bay, Chatsworth (6pm).

CAF Champions League

Sunday, quarterfinal, second leg: Stade Malien vs Mamelodi Sundowns, Bamako, Mali (6pm). — Additional reporting by Sihle Ndebele