Newbies Kruger encouraged by recent good run

Kruger chase log leaders in ambition to get to PSL

Sihle Ndebele Sports journalist
Onyedikachi Ononogbu of Kruger United FC during the 2025 Nedbank Cup qualifier game between Orbit College FC and Kruger United at Olympia Park in Rustenburg on 3 December
Onyedikachi Ononogbu of Kruger United FC during the 2025 Nedbank Cup qualifier game between Orbit College FC and Kruger United at Olympia Park in Rustenburg on 3 December
Image: BackpagePix

Kruger United striker Onyedikachi Ononogbu has attributed their recent purple patch to being confident and playing with courage after a slow start to the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) season.

Newly-promoted Kruger won only one of their five opening MFC fixtures with two draws and a defeat. However, the Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga-based side have now gone seven league games without a defeat with five wins and two draws.

“We had a bad start, so we had to change our mindset. We played with fear at the start of the season since we are new in the league but our confidence slowly grew, hence we've been doing well of late,''Ononogbu told Sowetan yesterday.

The 27-year-old also made it clear that they target to gain promotion straightaway. Kruger are seven points behind leaders Durban City on the MFC table. 

“It's a promotion league, so our only goal is to get promoted to the Premiership. Yes, we are a new team but we are ambitious,'' Ononogbu said.

“It's possible to catch them [Durban] but we need to take it one game at a time. We must not put pressure on ourselves but we know that we can go all the way and topple Durban City because of the quality we have. We just have to continue believing in ourselves and keep on delivering composed performances like we have been doing.”

Kruger were drawn against Premiership side Stellenbosch in the first round of the Nedbank Cup and Ononogbu views the fixture as a chance to pick up some lessons, insisting playing the Ke Yona Cup won't disrupt their league ambitions.

“The Nedbank Cup game against Stellenbosch is a good challenge for us to see where we are as a team. The game will also help us in the league because we will pick up a few lessons since Stellenbosch are one of the best teams in the Premiership, so whatever we will learn against them will help us in our pursuit of promotion,'' Ononogbu said.

Results

Kruger 1-0 Highbury; AmaTuks 1-1 Milford; Venda 2-0 Leopards; Upington 0-0 Callies; Leruma 0-1 Orbit; Durban 4-2 Lions; Spurs 1-0 Casric; Baroka 3-3 JDR

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