With the Betway Premiership’s basement clubs creeping up on Chippa United, the Eastern Cape side are under pressure to deliver in their mid-week game against Sekhukhune at the Buffalo City Stadium in KuGompo City on Tuesday (7pm).
There are four games remaining in the league, and a point or three against Babina Noko will be like gold dust.
Chippa find themselves back in relegation talk as their recent form has been in sharp contrast to earlier this year, when public sentiment had shifted to them possibly being top-eight contenders.
They are in 13th place with 24 points after 26 matches, while Magesi and Marumo Gallants are level on 21 and Orbit College not far off with 20.
Wins for Marumo over TS Galaxy on Wednesday or Magesi toppling Orbit on Tuesday would put massive pressure on Chippa, bearing in mind they have to travel away to Kaizer Chiefs and Galaxy before facing a determined Golden Arrows at home in their final three games.
The Chippa entourage arrived in KuGompo City at the weekend ahead of the Sekhukhune game.
On Sunday night, they had an intense training session under lights and put final touches to their preparations.
Defence would have been the major talking point in the camp heading into the Sekhukhune clash after their 5-1 disaster against AmaZulu two weeks back.
That was the club’s largest defeat in the top flight, equalling their 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Maritzburg in 2021.
They will face a Sekhukhune team that is among the most clinical in front of goal, with talisman Bradley Grobler their go-to man.
This is one of the main reasons they are in contention for continental football spots.
Babina Noko are fifth on the log with 39 points, three points above AmaZulu and eight points behind Kaizer Chiefs, who occupy third place.
Sekhukhune are going through a transition as the team recently let go of mentor Eric Tinkler.
The sides played to a 1-1 draw when they last met in the league at the Peter Mokoba Stadium seven months ago.
In that game, Chippa scored first through Boy Madingwane but conceded that lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Sekhukhune employ the low block defence structure at the back, a system Chippa has become accustomed to unlocking, their Polokwane City game bearing witness to that.
But unlike Polokwane, Sekhukhune have a quick counterattack, which many teams have been unable to stop.
Fixtures (midweek starts 7.30pm):
Tuesday: Chippa vs Sekhukhune, Buffalo City; Magesi vs Orbit, Seshego; Siwelele vs Durban, Petrus Molemela; Stellenbosch vs Pirates, Athlone.
Wednesday: Sundowns vs Chiefs, Loftus Versfeld; AmaZulu vs Arrows, Moses Mabhida; Gallants vs Galaxy, Petrus Molemela; Bay vs Polokwane, Richards Bay.
Saturday: Gallants vs Bay, Petrus Molemela (3pm); Orbit vs AmaZulu, Olympia Park (3pm); Galaxy vs Chippa, Mbombela (3pm); Arrows vs Polokwane, King Zwelithini (5.30pm); Sundowns vs Siwelele, Lucas Moripe (5.30pm); Magesi vs Pirates, Peter Mokaba (8pm).
Sunday: Sekhukhune vs Chiefs, Peter Mokaba (5.30pm).
Daily Dispatch
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