Reigning champions UP-Tuks will be keen to get back to winning ways when they welcome Varsity Football strugglers UL to Tuks Stadium on Monday night.
The home team suffered a humiliating 4-0 thrashing to tournament newcomers UJ in front of their home fans earlier this week.
UL are stuck at the bottom of the standings with just one point and have yet to produce a win this season.
The clash will be screened live on Supersport and with both teams hungry for a win the match should produce some exciting football.
Tukkies had their spirits lifted on Tuesday night, when they overcame TUT 2-0 in a USSA qualifier.
Tuks coach, Evangelos Vellios, says that victory bodes well for the team and he is confident they will get back on track to defend their title next week.
“The win definitely lifted our spirits and we’ve already put Monday’s defeat behind us and are focused on getting some good results going forward,” he said.
Vellios revealed he could make some changes to his starting line-up for their Varsity Football clash against UL next week.
“I gave some of the other players a chance on Tuesday and they produced some good performances, so I think I will be making some changes for Monday’s game.
“Dean Wilkinson is a key player for us and he’s back in training, so he will also play against UL,” he said.
The UP-Tuks coach added that his team have to win their next game and are determined to renew their supporters’ faith in them.
Meanwhile, UL assistant coach Strada Dhlamini has played down UP-Tuks’ 4-0 loss to UJ, saying the shock defeat did not have any bearing on their team selection for Monday’s clash.
“The line-up will look similar to the North West game. Theo Phophi and Thapelo Kgaphola have academic commitments, so they won’t be joining us in Pretoria, but we have adequate replacements and they will plug the gaps.
Dhlamini believes the team has improved in their debut season in Varsity Football and he has seen them get stronger and wiser. This week the players worked hard to rectify the mistakes they made against University of Free State and the North West University.
“The rectification of errors is a process, these things cost us games and we have been working on them. We have to go out there and play our way and make sure that we get points. We will prove that Tuks will not win it,” Dhlamini said.
He has vowed that University of Pretoria will not bounce back at their expense.
UP-Tuks squad: 32 Lebo Ngubeni, 13 Lindsay Stowman, 8 Nicholas Killas, 2 Botshelo Mfulwane, 4 Lawrence Ntswane, 10 Jeremiah Nkwana, 18 Lucky Mathosi, 3 Robin Swartz (captain), 20 Thabo Ndlovu, 5 Sibongile Njokwe, 9 Mbongeni Masilela, 1 Nicholas Stothard, 17 Irvin Tshabalala, 22 Dean Wilkinson, 23 Vuze-Umuze Khosa, 15 Jarryd Van Den Berg, 7 Luke Steyl, 11 Richard Moremi
UL squad: 1 Jonothan Gole, 2 Ivan Tleane, 6 Edgar Mafunisa, 24 Austin Dube, 13 Pholoshi Bapela, 5 Kganyago Matsobane, 7 Clyde Kgatla, 8 Blondy Mohale, 4 Themba Chauke, 18 Johannes Manamela, 11 Mahlatse Mogale, 21 Samuel Mathabathe, 17 Nelson Ndhima, 3 Rodgers Moletla, 15 Tsietsi Tshehla, 10 Vuledzani Chikhala, 19 Cyril Ndhlovu, 16 Harold Ndhlovu
Venue: Tuks Stadium
Date: Monday, August 11
Kick-off: 16.45
