Mapeza expects more than a 1000% effort from Chippa on Saturday

Chippa United coach Norman Mapeza is demanding a superhuman effort from his troops as they attempt to overthrow Soweto giants Orlando Pirates at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (kickoff 6pm).

The Port Elizabeth based football club will treat their Absa Premiership fixture against the Buccaneers as more than just another game, as they celebrate a significant milestone in the club’s existence.

The Chilli Boys have not managed to beat Pirates in six consecutive fixtures in the league and winning on Saturday will not only be a cherry on top in terms of their 10th year anniversary, but it will also see Chippa break that pattern.  

“We have to work hard,” the Zimbabwean coach said on Thursday.

“We have to go out there and put in more than a 1000% effort; that is the only solution. We need to be very organised in terms of how we defend and go forward.

“We need to be very organised. At each and every game that is what I always talk about.  If there isn’t communication starting from the back and going forward, then there won’t be any organisation on the pitch.”

Mapeza will also be wary of Pirates' goalscoring machine, Gabadinho Mhango.

Mhango has been a great contributor to the Bucs' sudden success, netting 12 league goals for his team this season.

Asked if he had plans to box in the Malawian international striker, Mapeza said: “If you are going to concentrate on Gabadinho Mhango what about (Thembinkosi) Lorch, (Vincent) Pule and (Luvuyo) Memela?

“We work with the whole group. We can’t put all our emphasis on one player. So when we train, we concentrate on Pirates as a whole, not only Gabadinho Mhango or Wayne Sandilands.”

Mapeza said besides a few knocks, all his players were available for selection.

“We don’t have any suspensions. We have had some knocks but we will check on Friday if those guys are available for Saturday.

“But so far the training has gone well. We know the challenges we are going to face on Saturday; we are playing a good team.

“I think they have been the most consistent team in the second half of the season. They have been gaining points either at home or away, so we really need to be ready psychologically.

“I hope the guys will come to the party, come Saturday evening.”

Asked if there were any specific areas that he was looking to strengthen ahead of Saturday’s game, the former Ajax Cape Town midfielder said: “I don’t have one specific area I would say we concentrated on during training.

“if you don’t have any defence, you can’t play football.

“If you don’t have any midfielders it’s difficult to play football and if you don’t have any attackers you can’t play football.

“So we have to combine what we have been doing in defence, midfield and attack.”