NO RESPITE FOR CHIEFS
PWD BAMEDA: HEAD BACK INTO CONTINENTAL GAME WITH A TRIP TO CAMEROON
Under-performing Amakhosi have never made it to the group stages of the Caf Champions League.
Kaizer Chiefs will head back into continental football this weekend, with their dismal record in Confederation of African Football (Caf) club competitions just another layer of pressure to add to a woeful start to the season thus far under new head coach Gavin Hunt.
Apart from Muhsin Ertugral’s
class of 2001, who won the last ever Mandela Cup, Amakhosi have been an embarrassment in the Caf competitions they have played in, most notably the Caf Champions League, the competition they are back in this season.
Chiefs will take on Cameroonian champions PWD Bameda in a two-legged preliminary qualifier for the group stages, visiting their opponents first on Sunday, and then playing them a week later in Johannesburg.
Chiefs have never made it to the group stages of the Champions League, casting them in a poor light compared to Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates, and an even worse light in relation to Mamelodi Sundowns, perennial group stage campaigners, who pipped them to the Absa Premiership title
last season.
Amakhosi’s title aspirations this season are already in jeopardy, with just one win in their first five league games, as a transfer ban has left Hunt stuck with the existing Chiefs squad, while the likes of Sundowns and Pirates have greatly improved their ranks, helped by players available because of the dissolution of Hunt’s former team Bidvest Wits.
Even Moroka Swallows, who beat Chiefs 1-0 on Tuesday evening, their fourth defeat in eight matches in all competitions this season, have bolstered their side in impressive fashion. This was highlighted by Bafana left back Sifiso Hlanti, who trained with Chiefs ahead of the season, but turned out for the Birds against Amakhosi on Tuesday.
Bamenda, who were crowned champions after the Cameroon top fl ight season was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, have been on a six-day camp in Libya in preparation for Sunday’s game, which will be played at the Limbe Omnisport Stadium.
Bamenda played two friendlies against Libya’s Al-Ahly, winning the first 2-1 and drawing the second 0- 0.
“We are ready to play that game (against Kaizer Chiefs),” midfielder Ndeh Collins told PWD TV.
“Some people are scared that it is our first time (in the African Champions League) but against Kaizer Chiefs we are well prepared, with the series of friendly matches we have played and with the quality of players we have. We are ready for the battle ahead.”