Defending champions UFS chase vital three points against Wits

UFS will be desperate to reignite their Varsity Football title defence when they return to action against Wits in Bloemfontein on Friday.

The Blues have endured a difficult start to their campaign, suffering back-to-back defeats. Their latest setback came last week when they were edged 1-0 by TUT at Shimla Park in what was officially an away fixture.

With their title defence already under serious scrutiny, UFS now face Wits in their third successive match at home, knowing that another slip-up could leave their campaign in danger of drifting off course.

Three points would go a long way towards restoring confidence, particularly after the Blues have already faced two of the competition's traditionally strong sides in TUT and the University of Pretoria Tuks.

There is also a sense of déjà vu for UFS. Twelve months ago, the defending champions also opened their campaign with two defeats before producing a remarkable turnaround to claim the Varsity Football crown.

Goalkeeper Lethokuhle Makhaya believes that experience can provide the Blues with confidence as they look to respond against Wits.

Makhaya, who impressed despite the defeat to TUT, admitted that conceding from the penalty spot was particularly frustrating, but insisted the squad remains determined to turn its fortunes around.

“Those are the two best teams in the Varsity Football competition, and losing to TUT with a penalty was very, very disappointing,” said Makhaya.

“But there are positives to take. As defending champions, we know there are expectations on us. We’ve been in this position before, and we understand that the pressure is always there.

“We’re using it as motivation to bounce back.”

According to Makhaya, the narrow defeat to TUT was not a reflection of a poor overall performance. Instead, the Blues' inability to convert their opportunities proved costly.

“Against TUT, we played good football but lacked the final touch,” he said.

“That’s something we identified and worked on in training this week. We’re creating chances and playing good football, so now it’s about being more clinical in the final third.

“Against Wits, we need to take the chances we create so we can get those three points, build momentum and move forward.”

The message is clear for the defending champions: chances must be converted and points must be collected.

UFS will host Wits at Shimla Park in Bloemfontein on Friday, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00.

Fixtures: HERE

Tickets: HERE