After a two-week break, teams affiliated with the Motsepe Foundation Championship League will be back in action this weekend. Venda Football Club (VFC) is gearing up for another tricky hurdle. They will undertake a journey to Pretoria, where they will lock horns with University of Pretoria FC (Amatuks) at the Absa Tuks Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
VFC is battling to find a winning combination this season. The club recently appointed the former head coach of Polokwane City, Mr. Duncan Lechesa, to the position of head coach. Lechesa was put to the test when VFC played to a 1-1 draw with Black Leopards in their Thohoyandou derby at the Thohoyandou Stadium two weeks ago.
During an interview with him, Mr. Lechesa indicated that he had used the past two weeks to instil a spirit of self-confidence in the players. He said that he had realised that a lot of talent resided in their camp and that the players lacked motivation. He further said that he was impressed by the fact that the players did not take long to get accustomed to his coaching philosophy.
VFC is not safe in terms of relegation. They are lying in the 13th position on the log standings with 12 points, four ahead of Pretoria Callies. Pretoria Callies is perched at the bottom of the log. Amatuks is one of the teams in the race for the league championship. They are in the eighth position with 17 points, five behind the pace setters, Orbit College FC.
Amatuks must keep an eye on VFC's goal poachers, Adepoju Babatunde, Edmore Chirambadara, and Thabiso Nkoana, or else they will concede an avalanche of goals. Tatenda Tavengwa and the team's Zambian playmaker, Reagan Lubesha, will be expected to distribute some dangerous passes from the middle of the park.