Staff Reporter.
Chippa United will chase key points in their DStv Premiership survival bid when they welcome Kaizer Chiefs to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday afternoon.
Kick-off is at 5pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).
The Chilli Boys have claimed just seven points from 10 winless home matches this season, with their last result as hosts a 3-2 loss at the hands of the same Gallants side in late February.
Chippa coach Kurt Lentjies insists that their barren run at home is not a concern for him or the team.
“I wouldn’t say [not winning at home] is a worrying factor, but it’s always questions that you guys [media] raise. It’s not things that we talk about,” Lentjies explained.
“For me the field is still the same. There’s 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 [before the leagues ends] and 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.”
Chiefs – who are placed third on 35 points from 20 matches and in a major scrap with Royal AM and Orlando Pirates to finish in the runners-up spot – suffered a first league loss of the year 2022 when they were beaten 1-0 at home by Golden Arrows on 19 March.
The Amakhosi have claimed 19 points from 11 away matches this season, with their last result on the road a 2-1 win at Orlando Pirates in early March.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter was left mystified by his team’s performance against Arrows and will be looking to the senior players for a response this weekend.
“Yes, you do [get disappointed]. When things don’t go right like when you concede a goal early in the game, you want the experienced players to rally around,” said Baxter.
“We threw a few young ones towards the end but it’s difficult to judge them on that going in when the team is not doing well.”
In head-to-head stats, Chippa and Chiefs have met in 17 league matches since 2012/13.
Chiefs have claimed nine wins compared to six for the Chilli Boys, while two matches have been drawn.
The Eastern Cape side have won three of their eight home league matches in the rivalry, suffering four defeats in the process.