Chippa out to register their first home league win when they take on Chiefs

Chippa United will be out to register their first home win of the DStv Premiership season when they host Kaizer Chiefs at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (5pm).

United have not won on home soil so far this season after ten fixtures but they have proved to be decent travellers, picking up four wins on the road.

Ahead of the match against Amakhosi, caretaker coach Kurt Lentjies said their winless record at home was nothing to be concerned about but is something they want to remedy.

“I wouldn’t say (not winning at home) is a worrying factor, but it’s always questions that you guys in the media raise. It’s not things that we talk about,” Lentjies said.

“For me the field is still the same, there are two goalposts and there are white lines, whether you are playing home or away. But that is something that we obviously have to fix because I think we have three more home games the end of the season.

“At the moment, we prefer to be away from home. You know when you are playing Kaizer Chiefs you are playing away from home whether you are playing home or away, so it doesn’t matter.

“So, for us from a psychological point of view it’s not something I would like to raise with the players all the time. When the referee blows his whistle, we have 90 minutes plus to focus and to concentrate whether we are playing home or away.

“In the past, our home form has been something to think about and something to improve, but it’s not something major. We want to play for three points so that is what we are going to do on the Saturday.”

The 36-year-old retired midfielder added that there would not be any special treatment or approach against wounded Chiefs, who recently lost 1-0 to Golden Arrows.

“The mood has definitely lifted in the team after the good results from the past two matches. But the mood has always been there since day one when I started.

“I can’t ask more for what these guys have been giving to me, the club and to themselves. So the boys are working with smiles on their faces,” he concluded.

On the other hand, Chiefs defender Njabulo Ngcobo said they have prepared well for the match.

“I think as a team we did well to prepare for this game during the Fifa international week. We are going to PE looking for maximum points and whatever we did in our preparation will help us to get those three points.

“We are mentally and physically ready for whatever hard time they are going to give us because they also need these three points because of where they are on the log.

“It won’t be an easy game but when I look at how we did things after our last game until now, I think we have done all right and we are ready for the game.

“In terms of the log standings, I think we are doing OK but I hope that we can at least finish in position two and I believe that will be a good thing for the team,” said Ngcobo.