/ 17 March 2009

Stars wary of wounded Birds

Free State Stars could not have played wounded Moroka Swallows at a worse time, says Stars coach Steve Komphela.

The teams meet in an Absa Premiership showdown at Rustenburg´s Olympia Park on Wednesday night. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.

What worries Komphela is the fact the Birds, once possible title challengers, go into this match on the back of four successive league defeats.

Said Komphela: ”Swallows will be desperate to avoid a fifth defeat.

They are going to be very, very dangerous opponents. They have been badly wounded.”

Komphela reckons this could be one of Stars toughest matches of the season. ”It is never easy playing a side that are in a slump and battling to get out of it. Swallows are a good side, but all teams fall on tough times and Swallows find themselves in a slump which I have no doubt they will get out of, but not at our expense.”

Birds’ only success in their last five games was a 3-1 win after extra time over BidVest Wits in the opening round of the Nedbank Cup at the same venue last Wednesday, and they were beaten 2-1 last weekend in the league by Platinum Stars at Potchefstroom´s Olen Park.

The bad news for the ailing Swallows is the fact Stars are back to full strength after being without star strikers Sthembiso Ngcobo, Paulus Masehe and Tebelo Mofokeng, who were suspended for the Nedbank Cup clash against Kaizer Chiefs, which Stars lost 1-0 after extra time at the Super Stadium.

Said Komphela: ”It will be good to have a full squad to choose from. But the Chiefs game showed we have players in the reserves who are on the fringe of the first team.”

Swallows admit they are at a loss to explain their slump, but with coach Julio Leal and his players having a heart to heart talk this week, fans can expect the Birds to come out flying.

Komphela, who is determined to finish in the top eight, believes 40 to 42 points will see his side home and dry.

Only two points separate the sides, with the Birds perched on 32 points and Stars two points behind with seven matches to play. At one stage Swallows were being touted as possible champions, but unless they pull up their socks and start getting positive results in their last seven matches, they could lose out on finishing in the top eight.

But the fact they are through to the second round of the cup where they play Vodacom League side (Third Division) Peace Lovers, should help them get through to the quarterfinals and the cup. A good cup run could be used by Leal to salvage what has turned into a disappointing season.

The big problem is Swallows are struggling to score, but with goal-scoring machines Ngcobo, Mofokeng and Masehe back to lead the attack, Stars will go for broke.

In the other Wednesday night fixture, improving Platinum Stars host Golden Arrows at Olen Park. Stars will be hoping to continue where they left off at the same venue against the Birds while Arrows need to bounce back after their 1-0 away defeat by relegation haunted Bloemfontein Celtic. — Sapa