Chippa vow to put Bucs on the back foot

Chippa United co-coach Kwanele Kopo has asserted that they can match Orlando Pirates tactically, promising to go all out and attack them when the two sides meet in the Nedbank Cup semifinals at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

"I think it will only be just that we play an attacking brand of football from the beginning because there has to be a winner at the end of the day, so it's not a game that we're going to approach with reservations or with caution. It's a game where we need to try and match Pirates in intensity...we also have to match them tactically, which I think we can,'' Kopo said.

Kopo, who steers the Chippa ship alongside Thabo September, also broke down Pirates' strengths and weaknesses they intend to capitalise on. Kopo also predicted that their striker Bienvenu Eva Nga, who's also formerly of Pirates, will give the Buccaneers all sorts of problems. 

"Pirates are a good team with good intensity and good mobility upfront and very strong on the left-hand side with [Relebohile] Mofokeng. I also think [Tshegofatso] Mabasa has given them a different dimension with his ability to play as a target man.

"One area they've improved in the last month or so is the counter-pressing, but at the same time they've got weaknesses at the back,'' Kopo stated.

"The full-backs like to go forward, so they are more attack-minded than defensive-minded, if you look at the full-backs. With what we've been doing upfront in the last couple of games, especially with Eva, I think he can be a handful for them.''

Kopo also made it clear that the possibility of playing in the CAF Confederation Cup should they reach the final, gives their troops that extra motivation.

"Obviously, this is a big game by any measure. We have the opportunity to play in the final and possibly qualify for Africa [referring to the CAF Confederation Cup]. There's a greater motivation with the players,'' the Chippa co-mentor noted.