The day has finally come when returning Chippa United coach Morgan Mammila will have to put his money where his mouth is, when they lock horns against Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium this afternoon.
Amakhosi will host the Chilli Boys in their league opener – a game that will hand newly appointed coach Molefi Ntseki his first taste of the DStv Premiership in the hotseat.
Mammila is used to causing havoc for the Glamour Boys, having beaten them twice as a coach, first during his first stint at Chippa and when he was at Moroka Swallows last season.
Despite Amakhosi having the upper hand against Chippa, Mammila is not fazed and instead is determined to sink the Soweto giants, and in his words make Amakhosi’s start to the new campaign hurtful.
Ntseki is undoubtably under immense pressure to deliver at Amakhosi, following a topsy-turvy season under the tutelage of Arthur Zwane last season, Zwane has since been demoted to the assistant coach role alongside Dillon Sheppard.
Even though the team from Naturena concluded their pre-season African tour in Tanzania and Botswana on a low, Ntseki says he will look to open his official match with a victory.
“The first game will be as important as the last game, because it will determine a lot of things that I expect to happen this season,” said Ntseki ahead of the game.
“We will go into the first game with confidence and belief, tactical understanding, and cohesion that we have been working on in pre-season. That it is something that we are looking forward to implementing and we are feeling very confident going into the game against Chippa.”
Chippa, on the other hand, are expected to be a competitive and an exciting side under Mammila, a coach who has a big personality and confidence all round.
The Eastern Cape-based outfit has since brought in well-travelled players and bolstered their squad with the acquisition of former Richards Bay star Luvuyo Memela, speedy defender Craig Martin, striker Augustin Mulenga and recently midfielder Goodman Mosele on a season-long loan from Orlando Pirates.
The two sides will be on a mission to start their campaign with maximum points, with Mammila looking to continue his dominance against Kaizer Chiefs, while Ntseki will seek to convince the Amakhosi faithful that he is the right man for the job.
Kick-off time is at 3pm.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
