Venda Football Club (VFC) are rolling up their sleeves in preparation for their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match against University of Pretoria FC (Amatuks) at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A win for VFC will help revive the team's pride after Maunavhathu suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Midlands Wanderers at the Thohoyandou Stadium last Saturday.
VFC head coach Clinton Larsen is adamant that Amatuks will return to Pretoria empty-handed. He added that the team's defeat against Midlands Wanderers had taught him a lesson, and that Amatuks would be lucky to hold them to a draw.
Asked how the absence of playmakers Reagan Lubesha and Sibusiso Sibeko would affect preparations for the game against Amatuks, Larsen said the team had a database of quality players to call on. Lubesha and Sibeko were given their marching orders for different infringements in last Saturday's match against Midlands Wanderers.
VFC goalkeeper Malcolm Jacobs, a former Richards Bay player, has been one of the best keepers in the league and saved VFC from possible humiliation against Wanderers last weekend.
Amatuks are still recovering from a 2-1 defeat to Upington City at the Absa Tuks Stadium in Pretoria last Saturday.
Other fixtures this weekend include Black Leopards vs The Bees FC at the Kanyamazane Stadium outside Nelspruit, and Baroka FC hosting Cape Town City at the Global Stadium in Lebowakgomo. Baroka parted ways with head coach Daniel Malesela last week, following a spate of poor results.
The remaining matches are Upington City vs Highbury, Gomora United vs Casric Stars, Lerumo Lions vs Hungry Lions, Midlands Wanderers vs Kruger United, and Leicesterford City vs Milford FC.