Rivaldo Coetzee doubtful for Ajax's final game of the season

25 May 2017 - 15:55 By Nick Said
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Rivaldo Coetzee of Ajax Cape Town during the Absa Premiership match against Bloemfontein Celtic at Athlone Stadium on May 13, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Rivaldo Coetzee of Ajax Cape Town during the Absa Premiership match against Bloemfontein Celtic at Athlone Stadium on May 13, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

Ajax Cape Town defender Rivaldo Coetzee is doubtful for Saturday’s crucial Absa Premiership clash at home to Baroka FC after suffering a hamstring tweak.

But the defender is desperate to feature to end a difficult season for Ajax on a high.

Ajax must beat bottom side Baroka at the Cape Town Stadium to secure what had looked to be an unlikely top eight place just a few months ago‚ while the visitors are desperate for a win to potentially move out of the relegation places.

  • Komphela deserves another chance at Chiefs‚ says KhuneSteve Komphela is a “very very good” coach who deserves another chance to prove his worth at Kaizer Chiefs despite two trophy-less campaigns‚ says goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune ahead of the last round of Absa Premeirship matches on Saturday. 

Ajax took 10 matches to register their first win in the league this season‚ but under coach Stanley Menzo have shown better form‚ and now stand on the brink of earning a place in the potentially lucrative MTN8 competition that they won in 2015.

“We have come a long way this team‚ results weren’t going our way but with the perseverance of the team and the coach believing in us‚ we got out of the relegation situation and now a top eight spot is in our hands‚” Coetzee told Times Media Digital.

  • Baxter's salary is 'no one's business'New Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter is either earning the same or less than his predecessor, Shakes Mashaba, SA Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan has intimated. 

“It’s up to us as players to go into the last game and play with confidence. We are at home and have been getting good results there. The spirit is good‚ we are really looking to finish the season on the high.”

Coetzee‚ who was also named in Stuart Baxter’s first Bafana Bafana squad for the African Nations Cup qualifier in Nigeria on June 10‚ said the format of the season has taken its toll on the player and that the break will be welcome.

“We have had a couple of injuries‚ in the last couple of months.

  • We will beat Sundowns‚ says relegation-threatened Highlands ParkHighlands Park co-coach Thierry Mulonzo has made a bold promise to the club’s supporters ahead of their crunch Absa Premiership clash with Mamelodi Sundowns in Tembisa on Saturday. 

"The guys are looking forward to the break‚ but first we must make sure we get the three points against Baroka because we are going to have a long break. We just have to focus and get that tiredness out of the system.”

Coetzee will link up with the national team this weekend and says he is looking forward to working under Baxter.

  • Cape Town City look outside SA's borders for new recruits to bolster the teamCape Town City will look outside of the country rather than within for new first team players next season with coach Eric Tinkler admitting they are scouring Africa for new recruits. 

“He’s a good coach‚ when he was at Chiefs I admired his team that won the league.

"He is a coach that I have followed‚ watched how his teams played.

“I’m excited‚ you always learn from every individual that comes into your life‚ I am just hoping to go there [to the national team] and learn as much as I can.”

 - TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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