Arrows aim to maintain momentum

Neville Khoza Sports Journalist
Mabhuti Khenyeza, coach of Golden Arrows FC.
Mabhuti Khenyeza, coach of Golden Arrows FC.
Image: Darren Stewart

After ending their six-match winless run when they edged Royal AM 3-2 in their midweek game, Golden Arrows coach Mabhuti Khenyeza is targeting back-to-back wins when they welcome Cape Town City at Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale on Sunday at 3.30pm.

Khenyeza was relieved after that hard-fought win and has urged his players to show the same fighting spirit against the Citizens. Eric Tinkler's charges will also come into this fixture looking for two successive victories after they beat Polokwane City 1-0 at home on Wednesday.

“It was good for the players and give credit to them. We, coaches, are not playing, we are here to guide them. When they fight, we need to give them credit because they've been working hard,” Khenyeza said.

“The game against Royal drained us, we can't get over-excited with everything. We still need to control the excitement, we need to stay focused, and we only have 48 hours to celebrate before shifting our attention to our next game. There are a lot of positives we took from the game against Royal, and we are looking forward to the next game.”

Khenyeza was understandably delighted with the victory and the attitude of the players, and explained what he told them before kick-off. “We were not winning in the last six matches, we were losing or drawing and we made the players aware that we need to change this mentality to our advantage,” he said.

“The team is balanced, and there's a fair chance for everyone here, the ones who are starting and those who are not, to get an opportunity, and they did very well.”

Tinkler said they'd need to find a way again to win the match against Arrows to move up the log table. “When you lose games and you are not achieving your objectives, the morale and confidence turn to drop and [it] becomes a lot harder for me to get the players to start believing in themselves, and believing that they are better than they are,” he said.

SowetanLIVE 

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.