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Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs right-back Kgotso Moleko believes his team will show
greater desire than relegation-threatened Maritzburg United when the two
teams meet in an Absa Premiership clash on Saturday evening.
"We need to be on the front foot from the first whistle," Moleko told the Kaizer Chiefs website ahead of the match at FNB Stadium.
Chiefs find themselves in the unfamiliar position of seventh going into Round 23 of this league season, having accrued 32 points – eight behind joint-leaders Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns who are in African club action this weekend.
Maritzburg, meanwhile, prop up the league table with only 17 points from their 22 matches to date. Moleko, though, knows that Amakhosi will have to be on their toes despite the two clubs’ log positions.
"It won’t be an easy game because they are fighting for their lives. They will be gunning for the win, but we will have to show them that we want it more," continues Moleko, seemingly well aware that ‘The Team of Choice’ have showed more attacking impetus in recent weeks.
In fact, since Eric Tinkler’s appointment as United’s head coach at the end of January, they’ve picked up two wins from four with their defeats against Bidvest Wits (0-1) and Cape Town City (2-3) being narrow.
Most significantly, Tinkler’s charges have found the net seven times in their last three matches... more than they had in their first 19 League matches of the season.
Moleko himself will be espected to keep a close eye on United’s enterprising left flank featuring Mxolisi Kunene and former Bafana Bafana squad man Siphesihle Ndlovu.
The backing he has received from Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp (a two-time former United coach himself) has played a big role in his confidence ahead of Saturday’s fixture.
“It was tough [playing only three times in the first half of the season], but coach Ernst came in and uplifted my performances,” commented the 29-year-old who’ll be hoping to follow Bernard Parker in extending his expiring contract.
Should Moleko’s expectations be met, and Chiefs do better than the goalless draw which the two teams managed back in August, then a move to fifth is a possibility – well short of the goals of the club and its massive fanbase.
"It will be difficult for us to catch the teams above us on the log, but anything can happen in the eight games still left to play. We’re still in it mathematically and – for now – our focus is on the Maritzburg United and SuperSport United matches before the FIFA break."
