| February 07, 2009 |
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Relegation-threatened Bay ready for Free State Stars Chumani Bambani SOCCER REPORTER DESPITE the emphatic 3-0 midweek loss to defending champions SuperSport United and facing relegation, Bay United still remain confident ahead of their clash against Free State Stars at the EPRU Stadium tomorrow. Umlilo may be battered, but they are still keen to fight on. “Stars have been getting good results lately but I believe that playing at home will help us,” said Umlilo coach Khabo Zondo yesterday. Stars are in great form and enjoying an unbeaten run in their last four games since the commencement of the second half of the Absa Premiership, having beaten SuperSport with an emphatic 4-1 margin, AmaZulu 3-2 and had 1-1 draws against Golden Arrows and Bidvest Wits. Stars will go into tomorrow‘s game with a slight psychological advantage, having beaten United 3-2 in the two sides‘ first meeting in October last year. “Our players are capable of winning games and they know it. Not taking three clear chances is simply not acceptable,” said Zondo after the SuperSport defeat. The former Bafana Bafana assistant coach will be hoping his defence, which has in previous games committed costly “silly mistakes”, will come to the party and rescue United‘s prospects of retaining their PSL status. Defenders Cyril Nzama and Asanda Mvalo, who have been unavailable for the last two matches, are likely to feature in tomorrow‘s game to beef up the defence. Ea Lla Koto, who were responsible for Umlilo‘s exit from the Telkom Knockout Cup after beating the Port Elizabeth side 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the competition, will be hoping to make it three wins in as many games against United. Stars co-coach Themba Sithole said: “We know it‘s not going to be an easy game especially because we will be playing them in their backyard. They will definitely go all out and they‘re going to find us more than ready. We‘re going for maximum points against United and the worst result will be a draw.” The 12th-placed Stars, who have only been defeated once in their last 10 games, will be out to improve that record tomorrow – and that achievement could lie largely in the hands of striker Sthembiso Ngcobo who has scored six goals in four matches. Kick-off for the match is scheduled for 3.30pm.
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Shut these hotheads up! OVER the past month there have been increasingly disturbing signs that political tension is reaching boiling point in some parts of the country in the run-up the general election and it is time for maturity and cool heads to prevail to ensure this does not bubble over into violence. No one could ever accuse ANC Youth League president Julius Malema of being either mature or of having a cool head. On the contrary, this not-so-youthful acolyte of ANC president Jacob Zuma is a loose cannon who, with his inflammatory rhetoric and populist claptrap, has done his party irreparable harm and continues to do so virtually every time he opens his mouth.... 
Bay braces for more job losses Brian Hayward WEEKEND POST REPORTER NELSON Mandela Bay is set to be rocked by a fresh wave of job cuts as the knock-on effects of the motor manufacturing industry slump spread rapidly to businesses throughout the city.... 
Holidays on wheels take family all over the country Luyolo Mkentane IF YOU want to invest in your family you had better get yourself a caravan. So says a Port Elizabeth couple who have been camping since their youth. Businessman Gert Cronje and his wife Rika, from Heatherbank, say they have made life-long friends on the caravanning circuit and have grown closer to their children.... 
Bay businessmen forge German link Bob Kernohan BUSINESS EDITOR A VISIT by a German business delegation paid potentially immediate dividends for a trio of Mandela Bay businessmen yesterday.... 
Music show set to hit even higher notes Clive Muller FANS of the music trivia show Noot vir Noot can prepare themselves for first-class fun when Johan Stemmet, Johan van Rensburg and the Musiekfabriek return to brings smiles to all dials and get the toes tapping to the music on Friday evening on SABC2. In December 2007, the show reached a milestone when it aired its 400th episode on TV. This was celebrated by the hosting of former guest artists and memorable Noot Vir Noot champions on the show – including series one winner (now turned musician) Jurie Els.... |
