Chippa will retain their Premiership status, says Bongani Sam

Gqeberha-bornChippa UniteddefenderBongani Samis optimistic that the club will survive to see another season in the Betway Premiership. The Chilli Boys are still to face AmaZulu, Sekhukhune United, TS Galaxy, Golden Arrows and Kaizer Chiefs in their remaining league matches. Following a disappointing 4-1 loss to league contenders and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Chippa rallied to defeat Siwelele 1-0 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

But they were held to a 1-1 draw by Polokwane City in their most recent league match at the Buffalo Stadium in KuGompo City. They are 13th on the log, having collected 24 points from 25 matches and only seven points clear of automatic relegation and five points from the playoffs. However, such is the congestion on the log that they can still finish in the top eight as they are only five points away from that bracket.

Former Orlando Pirates and Amakhosi leftback Sam said they are remaining in the moment as they approach the business end. “The team will survive this season, to be honest,” Sam said. “However, we do not want to concentrate too much on the games that we have not yet played; instead we are taking each game as it comes.

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I believe our focus has returned to wanting to win games and accomplish our goals as Chippa United this season “After this break, we are aware that we are playing AmaZulu, so we are currently concentrating on that game.” After the arrival of coachVusumuzi Vilakazi, the Chilli Boys went on a seven-match unbeaten run. But the team reverted to its inconsistent league performance. “I believe we took our foot off the pedal a little bit because we were winning games on a regular basis.

After a while we became comfortable and lost points that we could have won if it wasn’t for complacency. “But now I believe our focus has returned to wanting to win games and accomplish our goals as Chippa United this season.” Sam, 28, left Chiefs to join Chippa as a free transfer at the beginning of the season. Since joining the team the left-back has appeared in five league games for the Gqeberha team.

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