After unexpectedly donating league points to Pretoria Callies, to whom they lost 0-1 in their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match played at the Soshanguve Giant Stadium outside Pretoria last Saturday, Venda Football Academy (VFA) now need to make a comeback and crush Hungry Lions at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday.
VFA need at least four points in their five remaining matches to be safe in terms of relegation. The team have dropped from the 10th to 12th position on the log standings with their defeat against Pretoria Callies.
Although they will be playing in front of their home crowd, VFA must not expect a walk in the park against the Hungry Lions from Kimberley. Hungry Lions are in the running for the league title, lying fourth on the log standings with 42 points, only eight behind the pace setters, Casric Stars. The Northern Cape side are still fresh from a 1-0 victory over Uthongathi FC at the Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberley last Saturday.
Hungry Lions will be fighting with the aim of exacting sweet revenge for the 5-4 defeat they had suffered at the hands of VFA in their Nedbank Cup KO Competition match that was played at the Windhoek Draught Stadium in Kimberley about three months ago. The winner was determined through a penalty shootout, following a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time.
VFA have lost only two matches under the guidance of the team's new head coach, Mr Joel Masutha. Breaking VFA's wall, which is marshalled by the team's captain, Nhlahla Makhubele, as well as Bongolwethu Siyasi and Katlego Ramonyai, will not be easy for the Hungry Lions' strikers. Tatenda Tavengwa and Wanga Khorommbi will be expected to keep the fire burning in VFA's midfield throughout the game.