Defiant SuperSport coach Andre Arendse confident they will save the club

SuperSport United caretaker coach Andre Arendse is confident they will avoid the dreaded PSL playoffs despite the 1-0 loss to Orlando Pirates in Polokwane on Tuesday. 

The loss has dealt SuperSport a huge blow as they remain second from the bottom where they are tied on 26 points with Cape Town City and are faced with a tricky situation to avoid dropping to the playoffs. 

They return to Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday to face Richards Bay, where a win will be the priority as they continue with the mission to save the club from possible relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship. 

Asked to reflect on the loss to Pirates, who have already secured second spot, Arendse bemoaned lack of luck as defender Nyiko Mobbie was denied by the woodwork in the second half from close range. 

“There is such a thing called luck in the game and we don’t have it now,” said Arendse, who took over from Gavin Hunt. 

“On another night the header [by Mobbie in the second half] hit the post and goes into the net. But this time it hit the post and goes outside. That’s the small margins I am talking about from a luck perspective.” 

Arendse said though they are determined to save the club, he admitted they are running out of time. 

“We are going to have to do it the hard way and there is no doubt about that. We have the next match [Richards Bay] on Saturday and we must prepare properly for that to keep the team going.  

“It is a bit deflating that we lost to Pirates. I thought we pushed them hard in the game, we looked solid defensively, we kept our shape nicely but there was one lapse in concentration and we gave them the goal as we have done in past games. 

“We have to fix that and we have to do it quickly because we are running out of games. We are going to do this and there is no doubt in my mind this group of players are going to see this team over the line. I look forward to seeing that.”