The provincial soccer league defending champions, Tornado, are due for their first home match away from Sisa Dukashe Stadium in years, as they welcome EC Bees in a Buffalo City derby tomorrow.
Will this affirm their solid home record with no loss at Sisa Dukashe for more than a year or see change of their home turf fortunes?
The Mdantsane side will be playing their home games at Jan Smuts until at least December, as Sisa Dukashe is undergoing renovations for the MultiChoice Diski Challenge festival early in December.
Tornado head coach Thobela Bikwani said they had no choice but to suck it up and adapt.
And this change of venue starts with a match against their Buffalo City nemesis they are yet to beat in a competitive match, since the Bhisho-based Bees joined the second division last season.
In both league matches between the two last season, Bees claimed the bragging rights in Bhisho courtesy of a 2-0 victory before they played to a two-all stalemate in Sisa Dukashe.
Right there is a huge psychological boost for Bees, ahead of tomorrow’s league encounter.
Both sides are desperate for maximum points because should second-placed Bees win, it may see them bounce back to the top of the Motsepe League 2016-17 log standings on 10 points, but depending on how current log leaders Callies FC fare against Matatiele Pros at the Gelvandale Stadium tomorrow.
Perhaps more desperate are Tornado, who currently lie 10th with four points, an unfamiliar position for the side, as maximum points will see them rise into the top eight.
Bikwani said the plan was to make their new home – Jan Smuts a fortress just like Sisa Dukashe was.
And in their mission to adapt to the new arrangement, Tornado started training at Jan Smuts yesterday and will do so again today.
“Playing in an unfamiliar home venue can affect us but we have no choice to embrace it and adapt,” said Bikwani.
He was confident that his side will end their hoodoo against the Bees and his confidence stems from the
2-1 they managed against the Bhisho outfit in a pre-season friendly not long ago.
But Bees mentor Chippa Njendu was adamant that history will repeat itself and promised Tornado a football lesson free of charge.
So cool-headed is Njendu that he does not see Tornado even scoring, with a prediction of a 2-0 in Bees’ favour.
“Two goals by us within the first half will put the match to bed and we play our game in the second half to make sure Tornado have no chance of coming back,” he said.
On the other side, Bikwani foresees a 2-0 win in favour of Tornado.
What is for sure is that the encounter has got emotionally-charged thriller written all over it if previous clashes between the two league title contenders are anything to go by. The match starts at 3pm.
Other Motsepe League fixtures this weekend:
Tonight: Swartkops Valley United Brothers v WSU, 6pm (NU2 Stadium, Motherwell).
Tomorrow 3pm: Mdantsane Mighty Bucks v Matta Milan, (Jan Smuts Stadium); Future Tigers v Young Ideas (Ginsberg Stadium); Mthatha City v FC Buffalo (Rotary Stadium); City lads v Highbury (Mt Ayliff Stadium). — zingisam@dispacth.co.za
Tornado’s whirlwind knows no bounds
Will this affirm their solid home record with no loss at Sisa Dukashe for more than a year or see change of their home turf fortunes?
The Mdantsane side will be playing their home games at Jan Smuts until at least December, as Sisa Dukashe is undergoing renovations for the MultiChoice Diski Challenge festival early in December.
Tornado head coach Thobela Bikwani said they had no choice but to suck it up and adapt.
And this change of venue starts with a match against their Buffalo City nemesis they are yet to beat in a competitive match, since the Bhisho-based Bees joined the second division last season.
In both league matches between the two last season, Bees claimed the bragging rights in Bhisho courtesy of a 2-0 victory before they played to a two-all stalemate in Sisa Dukashe.
Right there is a huge psychological boost for Bees, ahead of tomorrow’s league encounter.
Both sides are desperate for maximum points because should second-placed Bees win, it may see them bounce back to the top of the Motsepe League 2016-17 log standings on 10 points, but depending on how current log leaders Callies FC fare against Matatiele Pros at the Gelvandale Stadium tomorrow.
Perhaps more desperate are Tornado, who currently lie 10th with four points, an unfamiliar position for the side, as maximum points will see them rise into the top eight.
Bikwani said the plan was to make their new home – Jan Smuts a fortress just like Sisa Dukashe was.
And in their mission to adapt to the new arrangement, Tornado started training at Jan Smuts yesterday and will do so again today.
“Playing in an unfamiliar home venue can affect us but we have no choice to embrace it and adapt,” said Bikwani.
He was confident that his side will end their hoodoo against the Bees and his confidence stems from the
2-1 they managed against the Bhisho outfit in a pre-season friendly not long ago.
But Bees mentor Chippa Njendu was adamant that history will repeat itself and promised Tornado a football lesson free of charge.
So cool-headed is Njendu that he does not see Tornado even scoring, with a prediction of a 2-0 in Bees’ favour.
“Two goals by us within the first half will put the match to bed and we play our game in the second half to make sure Tornado have no chance of coming back,” he said.
On the other side, Bikwani foresees a 2-0 win in favour of Tornado.
What is for sure is that the encounter has got emotionally-charged thriller written all over it if previous clashes between the two league title contenders are anything to go by. The match starts at 3pm.
Other Motsepe League fixtures this weekend:
Tonight: Swartkops Valley United Brothers v WSU, 6pm (NU2 Stadium, Motherwell).
Tomorrow 3pm: Mdantsane Mighty Bucks v Matta Milan, (Jan Smuts Stadium); Future Tigers v Young Ideas (Ginsberg Stadium); Mthatha City v FC Buffalo (Rotary Stadium); City lads v Highbury (Mt Ayliff Stadium). — zingisam@dispacth.co.za
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