Chiefs to play points catch up

KAIZER Chiefs coach Steve Komphela will not reach his set target of 30 points come the halfway mark this weekend, but he’s warned his title rivals that there’ll be a lot of changes in the race as the season progresses.

Fourth-placed Amakhosi, who have winger George Lebese back from injury, will be two points short of the target they set themselves after 15 matches, if they beat Komphela’s former club Platinum Stars at Cape Town Stadium on Sunday (3.30pm).

“The requirement would be that, after 15 matches, we should at least be on 30 points. To win a league in SA, you need about 60 points.

“We are on 25 points and if we win we will go to 28. We will be two points short, but it’s not over. Listen, there’s still 16 rounds of matches to go. A lot will happen,” he said.

Chiefs have already beaten Dikwena this season, a 3-0 drubbing in the Telkom Knockout, but it was by no means a walk in the park. Chiefs scored two goals in second-half stoppage time after Stars put up a brave fight. “Their coach [Cavin Johnson] likes playing constructive and sustainable football, which is beautiful.

“He hates coaches who play counter-attacking football even though counter-attacking football is part of the modern game. They are more possession-based and they defend quite well. But we will go to Cape Town and try get the result that is required.

“The last time we played in Cape Town (against Bidvest Wits) we got a good result, and the last time we played Platinum Stars we got a good result. It’s going to be an interesting game,” Komphela said.

New signing William Twala is likely to get a start after making a mark as a substitute against Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday. “He has added value. We are looking forward to seeing more of him. He creates competition in those wide positions,” Komphela said.

Stars coach Cavin Johnson said: “I am expecting a major fight. We don’t know what to expect, but we will prepare ourselves.”