Arrows coach Ncikazi confident of returning with a positive result against log leaders Baroka

03 November 2020 - 13:36 By Sazi Hadebe
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Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi is confident of a win againt Baroka.
Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi is confident of a win againt Baroka.
Image: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images

Buoyed by the first two great results his team earned at the start of the season‚ Lamontville Golden Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi is confident he can return with a positive result when his charges face early log leaders Baroka FC in Polokwane on Wednesday night.

Ncikazi‚ who replaced Steve Komphela at Arrows‚ has started well in his new post with a point earned in the first match away to Bloemfontein Celtic (1-1) before grabbing all the spoils at home against SuperSport United (3-1) last Wednesday.

“Our team has done exceptionally well in the two games we’ve played‚” said Ncikazi.

“[They did well] even in the match against Celtic, where we earned the draw. Based on the chances we created‚ seven of them‚ and they had a half a chance and the score ended 1-1.

“I’m satisfied with the way the boys committed themselves‚ the way they stuck to the game plan and I can only be grateful that they’ve allowed that I stand in front of them with the technical team I have.

“So far, so good - and I’m hoping that this is the beginning of good things to come.

“[Ntsako] Makhubela’s performance has been exceptional [scoring two goals‚ one in each match]. We spoke to him. We indicated to him that in SA it’s very important that as an offensive player he needs to score, and he’s done that.

“I’m not worried because he’s a humble boy and he’s got a lot of objectives he wants to achieve this season. He can only achieve those objectives when he’s in the team that plays him, and that’s Golden Arrows.

“I don’t have worries about him getting big-headed because he’s a humble boy. We’ve spoken to him and he’s prepared to listen to our instructions.”

On facing a Baroka side that’s been on hot form with two wins against Maritzburg United (2-1) and neighbours Black Leopards (3-1)‚ Ncikazi said history won’t play any part in Wednesday’s game and they’ll go there with that in mind.

We take lots of positives from the performances against SuperSport and Celtic, and if we build from that it’s only the sky that can limit us.
Mandla Ncikazi

“Baroka’s performances of the past are not going to lead us into the fallacy of thinking history is going to play a match‚” said the 51-year-old former defender.

“The current Baroka team is not the same as the one that played in the previous seasons.

“They’ve lots of energy‚ they play direct football and you can see that they’re energised and we’re not going to take things for granted when we go there.

“We have to be very careful‚ bring our A-game and defend well, while we also impose ourselves when we have the ball against them.

“I’m hopeful that when we play the way we’ve trained, we’ll get a positive result against Boroka. We can take a lot in the game we played against SuperSport.

“Lots of positives and our team did very well‚ scoring three goals at home and we could have scored more.

“I’m hopeful our team will get a positive result against Baroka but we take lots of positives from the performances against SuperSport and Celtic, and if we build from that it’s only the sky that can limit us.”

Baroka will hope Malawian top scorer Richard Mbulu adds to his three goals and continues where he left off against Leopards when he added a brace to the one goal he scored in the opening match against Maritzburg.


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