Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo believes Wednesday’s Absa Premiership clash with Highlands Park could be crucial in shaping the remainder of the season for the Urban Warriors.

Ajax have won three games in a row‚ including a 2-0 success over champions Mamelodi Sundowns‚ to lift themselves off the foot of the table.

Victory at Highlands Park would continue their rise towards the top eight and be a major boost ahead of the festive season break‚ but defeat will see them sucked right back into the relegation mix.

“This is a team in our area [position on the log]. We can make a step away from them and make them take a step backwards‚ or be drawn closer to them‚” Menzo said.

“I’ve seen three games of Highlands Park‚ I know how they played those games with a flat 4-4-2‚ one big striker to hold the ball and another one around him. If they play differently to that it will surprise me.

“We know how to play them and how we want to play them. I keep telling them [the Ajax players] that you can push them away from a while‚ they will get their points‚ but at this moment we can push them away.

“If that is not possible then don’t let them come closer. They must put in their minds that they can have a nice Christmas by getting results from the next three games.”

Menzo revealed that Eric Chipeta and Abel Mabaso will likely be missing from this game and probably the weekend clash at Bloemfontein Celtic.

“Eric Chipeta has a fracture in his small finger. It has to be operated on and I hoped for it to be done after these two matches‚ but it has to be done soon as possible.

“Abel Mabaso is the same‚ complaining about his hip. Those are the only two injured at this moment.”

Menzo said this will be the first time he has coached at team for a match at altitude‚ and he is unsure how it will affect his players.

“I experienced it as a player one time playing in Mexico and it was a big difference‚” the former Dutch international says.

“From what I heard there is a difference and players feel it. But we can’t change it‚ maybe we have to change our way of playing and deal with the circumstances.

“On Friday‚ we trained in an air chamber‚ so everybody is already a little bit at that physical level.”

Highlands Park have not won in the league since the appointment of Gordon Igesund as coach‚ with five draws and two defeats.

It is form that has sent them to the bottom of the league‚ and chief in Igesund’s mind will be a way of turning those draws into wins.

He has made the side difficult to beat‚ but at the same time they offer less of a threat going forward‚ and he admits it is likely to be a relegation scrap to the end of the season for his side.

“There is no doubt about that and no one is trying to kid anybody here that it is going to be an easy walk in the park‚” he said.

“I haven’t got a magic wand that says everybody is going to be a great player now. Sometimes the players are what they are and like I have said‚ I have got to strengthen the team in certain areas but this team has a long history and it is going to be a tough battle for us‚ there is no doubt about that.

“That is the truth of the matter‚ that it’s going to be a tough battle but it is a great challenge for everybody and we will keep fighting and keep working. You cannot sit and start saying the team will or won’t be relegated‚ it is a tough fight.

“At the moment‚ there are a lot of teams down there fighting. There are a few teams down there and we are not concerned about them‚ but focused on our own game.” – TMG Sport