Amakhosi ‘soldiers’ ready for Citizens
KAIZER Chiefs arrive in the Mother City to face Cape Town City on Tuesday at Cape Town Stadium filled with a sense of self-belief.
A 10-man Chiefs outfit overcame Richards Bay 1-0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, and the nature of the victory has lifted the morale of the Amakhosi camp after their 4-0 mauling suffered the previous week against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs lost influential midfielder Yusuf Maart to a red card with an hour still remaining in Durban, and the way they battled for remainder of the match was encouraging, especially as Amakhosi teams of recent years would simply have capitulated.
But under new coach Arthur Zwane and his assistant Dillon Sheppard there seems to be a greater resolve within the squad, and also the character to fight for one another.
The change of attitude among the Chiefs’ players is best illustrated in defender Njabulo Ngcobo’s new frame of mind. Since his infamous touchline rant last season that saw Ngcobo lose out on a regular place in the Chiefs’ starting team, the 28-year-old defender has worked hard behind the scenes to regain his place.
Zwane rewarded Ngcobo with a starting berth against Richards Bay, and the former PSL Defender of the Season, repaid the confidence shown in him with a sterling performance that shut out the Natal Rich Boyz.
“You know that as a player, once you don’t get game time, you become hungry and he (Ngcobo) showed that hunger without the mistakes because football is a game of mistakes,” Zwane said.
“So, the players must know that football is a game of mistakes, but they have to minimise those mistakes in order for us to win our games. So, Njabulo was one of the players who made less mistakes and we kept a clean sheet.
“Njabulo is a top defender and for the modern game you need defenders as arrogant as him, but one that is also able to see the danger. So we are still working on him and he did very well for the club and for the team and for his teammates, because the most important thing is that we boost his confidence.”
Although Chiefs have won two games already this season - unlike City who are still seeking their first victory - they have yet to win consecutive matches. They will arguably have their best opportunity on Tuesday against Eric Tinkler’s team (kick-off 7.30pm), that are starting to feel the pressure of not being able to claim three points in any of their previous five games.
Zwane, though, is not taking anything for granted especially with a couple of his players suffering from fatigue after a frenetic start to the campaign.
“Look, we are expecting another tough game. We are playing a team that is also very good on the ball, they always wait for the right moment to launch their attacks. They are playing at home, and they have the belief that they can take maximum points,” he said.
“We are going to have to manage our players, we could see Keagan (Dolly) was cramping, (Kgaogelo) Sekgota and Khama Billiat (against Richards Bay) too, and we had to substitute them because the games are coming thick and fast. But I think we boast well-prepared soldiers.”
With Maart suspended for the Premiership clash against City and the MTN8 quarter-final derby against Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday, Njabulo Blom is expected to take his slot in midfield.*