Kambole itching to end goal drought
Zambian goal ace Lazarous Kambole maintains that the weight of expectation is not getting to him as the pressure to score his first goal in a Kaizer Chiefs shirt continues to mount.
Kambole‚ the reigning Zambia player of the year, who arrived from Zesco United at the beginning of the season as Chiefs’ high-profile signing after scoring goals for fun in his home country‚ has fired blanks in all four matches for the Glamour Boys since the start of the season last month.
It might be early days yet, but the goal drought has thrust the 25-year-old attacker under increased scrutiny from the everdemanding Chiefs fans who expect him to find the back of the net regularly if Amakhosi are to halt a four-year trophy drought.
To be fair to him‚ Kambole has managed to get himself into good positions in his quest to break his duck, but the ball has not rolled kindly for him and he has missed clear-cut chances that looked easy to convert.
“Football is like that‚” said Kambole when asked about his four-game goal drought at the club’s training base in Naturena on Wednesday as they geared up for the visit of Polokwane City in an Absa Premiership match at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday. Kick-off is at 6pm.
“Of course scoring is one of my attributes‚ so I’m actually working on that, but I am not frustrated.
“The pressure is making me to push even more harder at training.”
Kambole admitted that the expectations around him are warranted‚ given his goalscoring history.
He said he was chomping at the bit to score his first goal in the black and gold of Chiefs.
“It’s very important (for me to score my first goal) because I just want to give the supporters something to smile about‚” he said.
Leaders Chiefs are perched at the premiership summit after four matches with 10 points, and are yet to be defeated, with three wins and a draw.
“We are on the right track‚ we are doing well.
“But this is the right time to be humble and continue working hard in training and I hope‚ and I know that this season we will win silverware‚” he said.
“The pressure is there for us to win the title this year because we have not won anything for the past four years.”
Chiefs will look to maintain their top spot when the league action resumes on Saturday following a two-week Fifa international break.
Coach Ernst Middendorp’s side will welcome a Polokwane side high on confidence, having conceded just one goal in their four league matches and are placed fifth on the log – three points behind Chiefs, with two wins‚ a draw and a defeat.
Kambole said it is important for Chiefs to own the top spot for the better part of the season if they are to win the Premiership.
“It’s better to be on top of the log than to be in the chasing pack, because then we won’t have to depend on the results of other teams.
“So keep on winning, then we will be assured that the league title is ours.”
But this is the right time to be humble and continue working hard in training and I hope that this season we will win silverware