Thabo September confident Chippa United can secure top-eight finish

Chippa currently sit ninth in the standings, just one point behind eighth-placed Kaizer Chiefs, after their recent goalless draw at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

With away matches looming against Stellenbosch, SuperSport United, and Marumo Gallants, the Eastern Cape side will conclude their season at home against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns on May 24.

"We're hopeful, and now that we've hit the 30-point mark, anything is possible," September said in a post-match interview with SuperSport TV.

"Chiefs are in the top eight right now, but with the ongoing Royal AM situation, we could leapfrog them."

If Royal AM's results are officially expunged, a decision expected from the Premier Soccer League, Chiefs would lose a point, allowing Chippa to climb into eighth place on goal difference.

September was pleased with his team's tactical execution against Amakhosi, particularly in the first half.

"I think we did well, especially early on. We anticipated their approach, overloading the left with Gaston Sirino and Pule Mmodi, and we handled that threat effectively," he said.

"Though we were occasionally exposed by diagonal balls over our left-back, we stuck to the plan of preventing them from playing through the middle, and we managed that well."

The Chippa coach admitted his players felt the physical toll in the second half, having been without competitive action for two weeks.

"We knew our energy levels might drop, so we sat a bit deeper. Chiefs found some space, but it was mostly in areas we allowed, and we controlled that too."

Chippa are competing in their 12th top-flight campaign, but have finished in the top eight just once, in 2016, when they placed sixth.