Business Day

Chiefs can win league — Khune

- Marc Strydom /TimesLIVE

Kaizer Chiefs are in with a “big chance” of winning the Premiershi­p‚ captain Itumeleng Khune said on the day after leaders Mamelodi Sundowns dropped points against Free State Stars at home.

Chiefs were aiming at a points target when the season closes on May 12, Khune said.

Sundowns were held to a 1-1 draw by tough Stars at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday night.

That result left secondplac­ed in-form Chiefs neatly positioned just five points behind the Brazilians with nine games to go as Amakhosi prepare to face 12th-placed Bloemfonte­in Celtic at FNB Stadium on Saturday night.

“It was a fair result. And that’s what we wanted‚” Khune said of the Sundowns’ draw. “But we just have to focus on ourselves‚ focus on the goals that we’ve set for ourselves.

“There’s a point mark that we want to end the season on.

“And we will sit down after training as players‚ review how far we are from the point mark that we want to achieve‚ and then we’ll keep pushing and keep on taking it one game at a time,” he said.

Khune chuckled at the notion that the current Chiefs‚ who have gone nine league and cup games unbeaten‚ are the best XI coach Steve Komphela has been able to put out in his trophyless two-and-a-half years.

“Kaizer Chiefs has always had good players. Kaizer Chiefs has always produced the best XI on the field‚ the bench and the ones in the stands‚” he said.

Wiping out a five-point gap with Sundowns in a tight season was possible if Chiefs maintain their form, Khune said.

“There’s a big chance, but we can’t afford to drop the ball‚” Khune said.

“We can’t afford to be focusing elsewhere‚ but have to be focusing on us‚ and focusing on getting the results.

“We cannot afford to relax. Yes‚ with a five points’ difference it’s in our hands [to catch up].

“But we just have to keep pushing so that we reduce the lead to either one point or even be on top of Sundowns,” Khune said.

 ??  ?? Itumeleng Khune
Itumeleng Khune

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