Chippa look to bounce back against Polokwane

by Graeme Jackson

Thursday Dec 14, 2017. 10:23

Chippa United will look to bounce back from Absa Premiership defeat when they host Polokwane City at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 16 December 2017, kick-off at 15h30.

Chippa saw their unbeaten run ended at 10 matches when they succumbed 1-0 away to Ajax Cape Town on December 9. It was the Eastern Cape side’s first defeat since going down3-1 against Baroka back in September, and they also ended the game with just nine men following dismissals for Zitha Macheke and Daniel Akpeyi.

The Chilli Boys can at least look to a solid home record this season, which has seen them claim 12 points from seven matches. Their last three matches as hosts have been against Cape Town City, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs, but they still claimed an impressive haul of seven points from a possible 12 in the sequence.

Polokwane have gone five league matches without a win after they were held 1-1 at home by Bidvest Wits on December 9. The Limpopo side looked on course for a first home victory this season, but conceded a late equaliser to the Clever Boys.

Rise and Shine have performed respectably away from home this season, with seven points claimed from five matches on the road. This will be their first away game since October, a month in which they picked up a 3-2 win at AmaZulu and a 2-2 draw at Golden Arrows.

In head-to-head stats, Chippa and Polokwane have met in six league matches since 2014/15. Rise and Shine have claimed three wins compared to one for the Chilli Boys, while two matches have been drawn. The Eastern Cape side is unbeaten at home against their Limpopo counterparts, with one wins and two draws from three turns as hosts.

Last season Polokwane took four points off Chippa, winning 1-0 at home in the first half of the campaign, followed by a goalless draw in the return game. The teams last three league meetings have produced just two goals.

Chippa’s line-up from their 1-0 loss to Ajax on December 9: Akpeyi, Macheke, Konqobe, Okwuosa, Maphanga, Mdlinzo, Zuke (Masuku 50’), Mayambela (Mashego 56’), Lentjies (Julies 50’), Mako, Sekola.

Polokwane’s line-up from their 1-1 draw with Wits on December 9: Chigova, Semenya, Tshilo, Maponyane, Hlongwane, Seabi, Phiri (W. Maluleke 82’), J. Maluleke (Tshela 88’), Musona, Ramagalela, Ndou.