Chiefs’ confidence back in the turf
Baroka FC, TS Galaxy and now Richards Bay FC. Kaizer Chiefs have a habit of slipping up in the Nedbank Cup, and on Sunday afternoon it happened again, a bad season plumbing new depths with a 2-1 defeat at home to the Rich Boys.
That’s the nickname of Richards Bay, a name that sounds at least a little bit stolen from the Phefeni Glamour Boys, which brings up images of Amakhosi sides full of flair from times gone by, and certainly not the current generation.
Richards Bay may not be rich in the cash-money sense, certainly not in comparison to Chiefs, but they have plenty of wealth of spirit, as shown by their performance at FNB Stadium, victory sealed with a stoppage time strike from Siyabonga Vilane.
Vilane is a 34-year-old journeyman whose professional career has taken him from AmaZulu, via an assortment of other clubs, to Richards Bay, but who may never have had a better moment than his tap-in from five metres out on Sunday.
As easy as it is to hammer Chiefs, and they are certainly making it easy this season, it is appropriate to first praise the giant-killers.
Simo Dladla’s side are currently joint-top of the Glad-Africa Championship, in with every chance of a first appearance in the top-flight next season, and they showed why as they stunned Chiefs, for the biggest upset of the last-32, no matter what happened to Baroka FC against Cape Town Spurs yesterday.
A special mention also has to go to goalkeeper Malcolm Jacobs, who pulled off two outstanding saves from Samir Nurkovic to keep his side in front, before Leonardo Castro found an equaliser.
But what now for Chiefs? There is still plenty to play for, in essence, with the Caf Champions League group stages coming up later this month, and a DStv Premiership table to try and climb, even though it would take a brave soul to claim they have any chance of catching the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United on top of the table.
It had seemed like Chiefs had turned a corner under Hunt, as they won three league games on the spin last month, but a Soweto derby defeat to Orlando Pirates, even if the performance was better than in the MTN8 semifinal hammering, and now this result, must have shot their confidence back into the turf.
This weekend, there is the minor matter of a trip to Morocco to face Wydad Casablanca in their first Group C Champions League game, with Amakhosi certainly in the position of underdogs against seasoned continental campaigners.
Perhaps Hunt’s side can thrive in that position as they choked in the position of heavy favourites on Sunday.
Certainly a first-ever appearance in the group stages of the Champions League should provide Chiefs with a pleasant distraction from an abysmal domestic effort so far.
Yes, Chiefs have been faced by a transfer ban that has crippled any plans Hunt may have had to revamp his squad.
But Chiefs are still a side full of experience, that should have the nous to see off an opponent like Richards Bay.
And it does make one wonder how exactly they will cope with a wily Wydad on Saturday.
As for Hunt’s future at Chiefs, it is fair to argue that a coach without his fantastic record in the domestic game would have been under far more scrutiny by now.