The stage is set for a David against Goliath clash when Mthatha Bucks take on Chippa United in the maiden Nelson Mandela Cup at Mthatha Stadium this weekend.
The question now is whether or not David, Bucks in this instance, will be strong enough to defeat Goliath which is Chippa like he did in the bible narration.
Bucks veteran player Sibusiso “Phopho” Mapompo fired the first salvo, saying they stand a good chance of emulating David by beating Chippa on Sunday afternoon.
Chippa’s Lerato Manzini hit back with a confident prediction that the match was going to end with a 3-0 score in favour of the Port Elizabeth-based Absa Premier League side.
According to Mapompo, the hosts, as underdogs, have nothing to lose and therefore will throw everything they have to ensure that the cup does not leave Mthatha.
“We are the David here and Chippa United are Goliath and we know what happened to Goliath in the bible,” said an optimistic Mapompo.
“We are in it to win it and we believe very strongly that we can get the job done against our big brother.”
Manzini said Chippa was not ready for the humiliation that would come with a defeat at the hands of an NFD side.
“Look, we have a tough match against Bloemfontein Celtic before Christmas break and we need a win against Mthatha Bucks to bolster our confidence going to the big one.
“We are however not going to undermine our opponents hence we will be going all out for a win as we expect a tough encounter.”
Manzini said they were wary of the danger posed by Bucks who go into the match as underdogs.
For this reason, Chippa would leave no room for complacency on their part as they understood the opponents’ hunger for victory.
Indeed the Mthatha outfit are desperate for a victory having been huffing and puffing for one without success since their elevation to the second tier more than four months ago.
“The spirit is high is the team and the belief is that if we win this quality friendly match, the floodgates will open and who knows just what might happen when we play Cape Town All Stars and Moroka Swallows in the coming weeks.”
Bucks, still winless in the league have a Nedbank Cup qualifier date with All Stars on December 15 before meeting the Dube Birds in a league encounter five days later.
“Phopho” believes a win against Chippa is may just be the luck that would bring about change of fortunes for the struggling NFD rookies.
The hosts will be bolstered by the return of the influential Mapompo who had hanged up his boots at the start of the season, only to make a U-turn recently as the club embarked on some changes in its attempts to avoid relegation.
Trusted for his leadership skills, Mapompo who has been with the club almost all his football career, has deep knowledge of the club and its culture.
The match is scheduled to start 3pm on Sunday to conclude the Nelson Mandela commemoration festivities lined up for this weekend like the Heroes Marathon which also takes place in Mthatha tomorrow morning.
Bucks fired to put Chilli Boys in cold storage
The question now is whether or not David, Bucks in this instance, will be strong enough to defeat Goliath which is Chippa like he did in the bible narration.
Bucks veteran player Sibusiso “Phopho” Mapompo fired the first salvo, saying they stand a good chance of emulating David by beating Chippa on Sunday afternoon.
Chippa’s Lerato Manzini hit back with a confident prediction that the match was going to end with a 3-0 score in favour of the Port Elizabeth-based Absa Premier League side.
According to Mapompo, the hosts, as underdogs, have nothing to lose and therefore will throw everything they have to ensure that the cup does not leave Mthatha.
“We are the David here and Chippa United are Goliath and we know what happened to Goliath in the bible,” said an optimistic Mapompo.
“We are in it to win it and we believe very strongly that we can get the job done against our big brother.”
Manzini said Chippa was not ready for the humiliation that would come with a defeat at the hands of an NFD side.
“Look, we have a tough match against Bloemfontein Celtic before Christmas break and we need a win against Mthatha Bucks to bolster our confidence going to the big one.
“We are however not going to undermine our opponents hence we will be going all out for a win as we expect a tough encounter.”
Manzini said they were wary of the danger posed by Bucks who go into the match as underdogs.
For this reason, Chippa would leave no room for complacency on their part as they understood the opponents’ hunger for victory.
Indeed the Mthatha outfit are desperate for a victory having been huffing and puffing for one without success since their elevation to the second tier more than four months ago.
“The spirit is high is the team and the belief is that if we win this quality friendly match, the floodgates will open and who knows just what might happen when we play Cape Town All Stars and Moroka Swallows in the coming weeks.”
Bucks, still winless in the league have a Nedbank Cup qualifier date with All Stars on December 15 before meeting the Dube Birds in a league encounter five days later.
“Phopho” believes a win against Chippa is may just be the luck that would bring about change of fortunes for the struggling NFD rookies.
The hosts will be bolstered by the return of the influential Mapompo who had hanged up his boots at the start of the season, only to make a U-turn recently as the club embarked on some changes in its attempts to avoid relegation.
Trusted for his leadership skills, Mapompo who has been with the club almost all his football career, has deep knowledge of the club and its culture.
The match is scheduled to start 3pm on Sunday to conclude the Nelson Mandela commemoration festivities lined up for this weekend like the Heroes Marathon which also takes place in Mthatha tomorrow morning.
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