Just last season Mthatha Bucks and Thanda Royal spent the better part of the NFD campaign fighting off relegation that both survived at the very end.
But this time the two find themselves among championship contenders in the top six, with the latter in the log standings summit while the former is sixth. The two meet this afternoon at the Mthatha Stadium.
Besides the difference that Bucks have lost twice in the ongoing 2016-17 campaign, Thanda are yet to lose, which makes for a cracker of a clash in front of a capacity crowd today.
Both sides are in fine form after playing to a draw and a win respectively in their previous two outings.
Bucks clobbered Mbombela United 2-1 last weekend before a 2-2 draw away to Real Kings midweek, while Thanda managed a goalless stalemate against Santos last weekend before emerging 2-1 victors over Milano United midweek.
Although Thanda remain the only NFD side this season without a defeat, it is worth noting that in Bucks they meet a side that has a solid home run that is yet to be blemished.
For this reason, Bucks assistant coach said: “We expect fireworks because Thanda are the team to beat this season.
“But this time, they are coming to our backyard where we have maintained a good record without a loss, and that will be the advantage we are banking on.”
Not only will the Mthatha outfit be counting on their influential 12th man but also on their recently-found goal scoring accuracy.
Just in the previous two matches, Bucks have found the back of the net four times.
With Mazwi Mncube continuing with his impressive playmaker-who-scores role, Zambian striker Kangwa Chilesha has been a revelation, scoring twice from the bench midweek.
Mapompo said the fired up Zambian was being started on the bench for a reason – depending on the opponent they were facing and the issues surrounding the U23s.
Another Bucks forward, Andile Njokweni, also appears to have found his scoring boots.
“We have indeed found our touch in terms of scoring goals but we are conceding unnecessary goals that are mainly from our own mistakes,” Mapompo commented.
That is a problem for the Eastern Cape side, especially against a Thanda team that has scored 21 goals in eight matches, that is to say more than two goals per match.
“And it is not good because we are conceding almost every match, including those we won.”
Mapompo said they were working on their defensive woes which were not a result of individual player mistakes but a fault of the whole team.
The Bucks attack, which has received a lot of praise for their direct, somewhat aggressive manner of dismantling opposition backlines, will be put to the test today.
Thanda are not only good in attack but rock solid at the back, following just six goals conceded in eight outings. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
Intense battle up as old foes aim to dominate
But this time the two find themselves among championship contenders in the top six, with the latter in the log standings summit while the former is sixth. The two meet this afternoon at the Mthatha Stadium.
Besides the difference that Bucks have lost twice in the ongoing 2016-17 campaign, Thanda are yet to lose, which makes for a cracker of a clash in front of a capacity crowd today.
Both sides are in fine form after playing to a draw and a win respectively in their previous two outings.
Bucks clobbered Mbombela United 2-1 last weekend before a 2-2 draw away to Real Kings midweek, while Thanda managed a goalless stalemate against Santos last weekend before emerging 2-1 victors over Milano United midweek.
Although Thanda remain the only NFD side this season without a defeat, it is worth noting that in Bucks they meet a side that has a solid home run that is yet to be blemished.
For this reason, Bucks assistant coach said: “We expect fireworks because Thanda are the team to beat this season.
“But this time, they are coming to our backyard where we have maintained a good record without a loss, and that will be the advantage we are banking on.”
Not only will the Mthatha outfit be counting on their influential 12th man but also on their recently-found goal scoring accuracy.
Just in the previous two matches, Bucks have found the back of the net four times.
With Mazwi Mncube continuing with his impressive playmaker-who-scores role, Zambian striker Kangwa Chilesha has been a revelation, scoring twice from the bench midweek.
Mapompo said the fired up Zambian was being started on the bench for a reason – depending on the opponent they were facing and the issues surrounding the U23s.
Another Bucks forward, Andile Njokweni, also appears to have found his scoring boots.
“We have indeed found our touch in terms of scoring goals but we are conceding unnecessary goals that are mainly from our own mistakes,” Mapompo commented.
That is a problem for the Eastern Cape side, especially against a Thanda team that has scored 21 goals in eight matches, that is to say more than two goals per match.
“And it is not good because we are conceding almost every match, including those we won.”
Mapompo said they were working on their defensive woes which were not a result of individual player mistakes but a fault of the whole team.
The Bucks attack, which has received a lot of praise for their direct, somewhat aggressive manner of dismantling opposition backlines, will be put to the test today.
Thanda are not only good in attack but rock solid at the back, following just six goals conceded in eight outings. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
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