Chiefs will welcome back at least one player for Soweto derby
Under-pressure Kaizer Chiefs can expect to have at least one squad reinforcement ahead of this Saturday’s clash against Pirates.
There is no doubt that Kaizer Chiefs will need all the help they can get when they take on in-form Orlando Pirates this Saturday afternoon. Kick-off is at 15:30 at the FNB Stadium.
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Chiefs are still fifth on the log despite Sunday’s loss to Golden Arrows, but they are now three points behind Pirates, and still as many as 27 points behind runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
It’s been well documented how Chiefs are missing several players who have been sidelined with injury, with Erick Mathoho having suffered a recent setback that could render him unavailable “for quite some time”.
However, although Edmilson Dove missed this past weekend’s encounter against Arrows, the 28-year-old is expected to be back this week. With all his experience and all-round qualities, his presence will certainly be warmly welcomed.
As it is, Chiefs slipped to a defeat on Sunday in a match they ought to have won comfortably had they converted the plethora of chances they created during the match.
Twice Chiefs led, through S’fiso Hlanti and Mdu Shabalala, but were pegged back each time through goals by Ntsako Makhubela and Knox Mutizwa, before the Zimbabwean striker netted the winner for the visitors.
After the match, coach Arthur Zwane bemoaned his team’s inability to convert opportunities into goals.
“We gave the game away,” he said frankly. “Look at the number of chances we created and look at how we conceded the goals. We were flat. We played in patches, but whenever we managed to beat the first line of confrontation and went forward, we looked dangerous. But we did not take our chances and we could have defended better. We created enough chances to win this game but I can’t fault the performance of the boys.”
This weekend’s Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates is now looming large as pressure builds on Zwane and Chiefs.
“Look, it is never nice to go into this type of game after a loss like this one, where you know you could have done better, but we are encouraged by knowing we can play better.”
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Check out some key match facts ahead of the Chiefs-Pirates derby this weekend:
How Chiefs lined up on Sunday: Petersen (1); Hlanti (23), Dube (29), Ngezana (30), Kwinika (4), Maart (8), Sithebe (6), Shabalala (42)(Nange (24) 67’), Dolly © (10) (Mashiane (19) 83’), Du Preez (9) (Sekgota (14) 76’), Saile Basomboli (21) (Bimenyimana (28) 68’)
Subs: Khune (32); Nj Ngcobo (27), Zwane (37, Matlou (22), Duba (36).
NEXT TEST: WHAT TIME DOES CHIEFS V PIRATES KICK OFF ON SATURDAY?