“Live for now and face tomorrow”.
Those are the sage words offered by Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela on Thursday as his team continues to search for a first home league win of the season.
The difficult obstacle that is Free State Stars lies in wait at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday as Chiefs complete their two-match Durban trip.
On Wednesday evening‚ they were held to a goalless draw by AmaZulu in a dreary‚ rain-affected match where Rhulani Manzini missed a penalty.
It's just as well that Chiefs find themselves enjoying the comforts of the underused 2010 Fifa World Cup venue.
Their only home win (3-0 v AmaZulu in the Telkom Knockout Cup Last 16) came at the ground in what was their most convincing performance.
However‚ one of their two league losses (2-1 v Baroka) also came at the ground.
But being the eternal optimist‚ Komphela said their first home league win is just around the corner.
“We've kept six consecutive clean sheets and no other team in the Premier Soccer League has done this‚" Komphela said.
"Our team is also not defensive but if we were to concede a goal‚ it wouldn't be good.
"But we still need to convert the chances we're creating.
"To keep those clean sheets‚ that's impressive.
“Matches against Free State Stars are always difficult and I hope it doesn't rain because when we play them‚ it always rains.
"When it rained in the AmaZulu game‚ I actually started to think whether we're playing Free State Stars but it's always difficult to play them.
"They're ambitious and very competitive. We need to find a way to win a match to narrow the gap at the top.”
Saturday's other big game also sees Mamelodi Sundowns travel to Port Elizabeth to face their bogey side Chippa United.
Chippa have already beaten Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout this season but a travelling Sundowns league side is a different proposition.
All five of Sundowns league wins have come on the road and some notable scalps like Orlando Pirates (3-1) and Bidvest Wits (2-0) are part of that list.
However‚ Chippa also boast a 2-0 away win against the bottom-of-the-log defending league champions‚ whose title defence is in proper freefall.
Orlando Pirates will be travelling to Bloemfontein to face the resurgent Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday.
If there's been a problem with Milutin Sredojevic's team‚ it's been their inability to locate the back of the net.
In Tuesday's goalless draw against Golden Arrows‚ they were majestic in missing some easy chances.
That explains why they've scored only eight goals in 11 matches even though they're in eighth place.
Veselin Jelusic's side have also been goal shy with only eight goals in 10 matches but the Telkom Knockout Cup finalists are playing with a fluency that was missing last season. That also explains why they're fourth on the log.
Premier Soccer League matches (Home teams first):
SATURDAY:
Maritzburg United vs Bidvest Wits – 3.30pm
Chippa United vs Mamelodi Sundowns – 3.30pm
Kaizer Chiefs vs Free State Stars – 6pm
Golden Arrows vs Cape Town City – 8.15pm
Ajax Cape Town v AmaZulu – 8.15pm
SUNDAY:
Baroka FC vs Platinum Stars - 3.30pm
Bloemfontein Celtic vs Orlando Pirates – 3.30pm
Komphela offers pearls of wisdom as Chiefs continue to search for elusive win
Image: BACKPAGEPIX
“Live for now and face tomorrow”.
Those are the sage words offered by Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela on Thursday as his team continues to search for a first home league win of the season.
The difficult obstacle that is Free State Stars lies in wait at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday as Chiefs complete their two-match Durban trip.
On Wednesday evening‚ they were held to a goalless draw by AmaZulu in a dreary‚ rain-affected match where Rhulani Manzini missed a penalty.
It's just as well that Chiefs find themselves enjoying the comforts of the underused 2010 Fifa World Cup venue.
Their only home win (3-0 v AmaZulu in the Telkom Knockout Cup Last 16) came at the ground in what was their most convincing performance.
However‚ one of their two league losses (2-1 v Baroka) also came at the ground.
But being the eternal optimist‚ Komphela said their first home league win is just around the corner.
“We've kept six consecutive clean sheets and no other team in the Premier Soccer League has done this‚" Komphela said.
"Our team is also not defensive but if we were to concede a goal‚ it wouldn't be good.
"But we still need to convert the chances we're creating.
"To keep those clean sheets‚ that's impressive.
“Matches against Free State Stars are always difficult and I hope it doesn't rain because when we play them‚ it always rains.
"When it rained in the AmaZulu game‚ I actually started to think whether we're playing Free State Stars but it's always difficult to play them.
"They're ambitious and very competitive. We need to find a way to win a match to narrow the gap at the top.”
Saturday's other big game also sees Mamelodi Sundowns travel to Port Elizabeth to face their bogey side Chippa United.
Chippa have already beaten Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout this season but a travelling Sundowns league side is a different proposition.
All five of Sundowns league wins have come on the road and some notable scalps like Orlando Pirates (3-1) and Bidvest Wits (2-0) are part of that list.
However‚ Chippa also boast a 2-0 away win against the bottom-of-the-log defending league champions‚ whose title defence is in proper freefall.
Orlando Pirates will be travelling to Bloemfontein to face the resurgent Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday.
If there's been a problem with Milutin Sredojevic's team‚ it's been their inability to locate the back of the net.
In Tuesday's goalless draw against Golden Arrows‚ they were majestic in missing some easy chances.
That explains why they've scored only eight goals in 11 matches even though they're in eighth place.
Veselin Jelusic's side have also been goal shy with only eight goals in 10 matches but the Telkom Knockout Cup finalists are playing with a fluency that was missing last season. That also explains why they're fourth on the log.
Premier Soccer League matches (Home teams first):
SATURDAY:
Maritzburg United vs Bidvest Wits – 3.30pm
Chippa United vs Mamelodi Sundowns – 3.30pm
Kaizer Chiefs vs Free State Stars – 6pm
Golden Arrows vs Cape Town City – 8.15pm
Ajax Cape Town v AmaZulu – 8.15pm
SUNDAY:
Baroka FC vs Platinum Stars - 3.30pm
Bloemfontein Celtic vs Orlando Pirates – 3.30pm
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