WeeklySA_AdminClumsily: The out-of-sorts Hartfield outfit takes on equally unimpressive Hungry Lions in the Motsepe League
By Masoja Cele
University of Pretoria will lock horns against Northern Cape outfit Hungry Lions in the eighth round of the Motsepe Foundation Championship. This intriguing match will take place at Tuks Absa Stadium on Sunday at 15:00.
Both teams have started the season clumsily accumulating unsatisfactory results. Amazingly, the home side who usually bosses the opposition in the league are languishing in the bottom half of the standings. After, seven matches Tukkies have collected seven points from a possible twenty one. They have only notched a single win against neighbours Pretoria Callies. Since, that victory, the Hartfield side have gone five outings without a win. Minds you, this is a side that have been in the national playoffs for the past three seasons.
Tuks will welcome the sight of Lions as they seek to break a five winless run in the championship. However, if Tukkies cherish the hope of improving their position on the table then this is the fixture they should win at all cost. As the home side they are expected to prevail and snatch the three points. AmaTuks come into this match on the back of a disappointing performance against newbies Highbury FC. The Tshwane side coach Tlisane Motaung will have to instil confidence to his troops to achieve better results. The long serving mentor has been in the thick of things before. His philosophy and tactics has worked magic wand for the team before.
Coach Motaung will undoubtedly rest his hopes on the experience of the long serving campaigner Samuel Julies. The former Mamelodi Sundowns attacking midfielder will be ably assisted by the workaholic Siyanda Msani and the industrious Athenkosi Tonisi to unlock the opposition counterpart. In goals Tuks will highly depend on the safe hands of Ayanda Dlamini who has able plugged the created by the departure of the regular Edward Maova who has joined Betway Premiership side Lamontville Golden Arrows.
AS for Lions they are also off to a shocking start than last season. Last season they started the campaign like true season champions. The Northern Cape side were ruthless during the 2023/24 edition. They clocked eleven points after playing five matches.
Meaning, they lost one match and drew one in the process. Last term the two sides cancelled each other in their duels with Tukkies claiming the first outing with a 2-1 win at home and Ditau reversing the instalment with a 2-0 win at home. However, the long trip to the capital will be a daunting task for Ditau as Tukkies are eyeing a morale confidence victory on Sunday.
Despite the unsavoury start to the campaign the Northern Cape side can rise to the occasion against any opposition in the championship. Players like attacking midfielder Thabo Mongale, their last season goal scorer Raymond Daniels, attacking midfielder Ronaldo Van Neel, target-man Archiebald Mahapa and the veteran Stanley Muishond who could harm Tukkies if given much room to manoeuvre.
This encounter promises to produce fireworks consider the head to head of the two teams.
