In-form Chiefs can still have a say in title race
KAIZER Chiefs could not have chosen a better time to get back to winning ways.
Ahead of their clash with Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Stadium tomorrow (8.15pm), Amakhosi ended a barren run that had lasted from February, when they beat University of Pretoria 2-1 at Tuks Stadium on Wednesday.
On the same night, Sundowns were held to a goalless draw against Ajax Cape Town, a result that cut their lead over Wits at the top of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to just four points.
After that match, from which many said Downs were lucky to leave Cape Town with a point, coach Pitso Mosimane said he was “stretching” the capacity of his tiredlooking side as he stuck with a consistent team selection. But the matches are coming thick and fast for the PSL frontrunner, with old nemesis Kaizer Chiefs next.
“We have stretched the team a lot going for all competitions and it showed that we can’t go for the treble,” said Mosimane.
‘‘You can say I’ve got a lot of players, but football is like basketball. You can bring players off the bench, but they don’t have the same impact as those who start. We need our influential players.”
But persistent use of the same players is having a telling effect on Sundowns, who in their last three games have been eliminated from the African Champions League, the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup and have dropped two PSL points to Ajax.
Mosimane admitted the issue of a tiring team was becoming a hot media topic.
“When we went 20 games without losing, the media never said we must change the team,” he said, avoiding the point that it is no longer midseason, but the end of a long football campaign of 39 matches already for Sundowns.
“Why should I change the team? If it doesn’t work out, and then? Who do I blame? As long as they can hang in there, we have to listen to what the reality is. We can’t be emotional about it and suddenly now freshen the team.”
For the first time, Mosimane also highlighted the absence of several key players through injury, notably Bongani Zungu, who has been out of action for the past three months. “The important players we (must) have to change the game, are not there,” he added, ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld.
The coach does have Khama Billiat, who has consistently performed well for Sundowns. The Zimbabwean has scored 10 goals in all competitions and produced 16 assists so far this season.
At the same time, Amakhosi have taken confidence from the goals scored by substitute Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane and Willard Katsande in their come-frombehind win over University of Pretoria.
“We are just happy we did not draw the match. We will take the three points and move on,” said coach Steve Komphela.
“We were not winning matches, but that’s football. Inasmuch as we were not winning these matches and we hated drawing, we were performing quite well.”
Chiefs could make things even more interesting in the title race between Sundowns and Wits if they beat Sundowns and the Clever Boys get three points against Chippa United tomorrow.
“The win against Tuks has given the players the confidence,” Komphela said.
“The feedback I got from (Bernard) Parker tells you that (confidence is back). He came to me after the game and said ‘coach, I feel comfortable’. I am happy that it happened this way.”
A key player heading into the match against Sundowns is Letsholonyane. The man linked with a move away from Amakhosi, came on as a substitute on Wednesday and changed the game.
He scored the equaliser and gave life to Chiefs, as they completed the comeback win with a late goal through Katsande.
“Yeye’s contribution is clear. Whenever he comes in, he creates chances. He can get behind the defence with his running and the goal he scored was the culmination of desire,” Komphela said.