Fans made it a memorable day
he people in Venda need to be applauded for setting the perfect platform for players by attending the match at Thohoyandau Stadium.
Every player wants to play in an environment like that. They were well-behaved and on time, that is the perfect platform for players to display their skills.
Kaizer Chiefs made many changes for the game and I didn’t expect them to be very fluid but they played good, attacking football. Under Ernst Middendorp Chiefs are a team that take the game to the opponents. Their organised chaos up front with five or six attacking players makes for a very open game.
Dax gave an outstanding performance that didn’t come as a surprise to me because he has been consistent since starting against Cape Town City and he is slowly fulfilling that potential I saw in the Cosafa Cup with Madagascar. He will be an integral part of Chiefs going forward.
Another good performer for Chiefs was Kabelo Mahlasela. He was instrumental in the chances created by Chiefs, he was involved in the attack and in the goal. The minute he went off with cramps because of a lack of game time, the spark wasn’t as effective.
Leopards stayed true to their beliefs and took the game to Chiefs with their attacking wingers. A draw was a fair result for the teams based on the performance they gave on the day.
Bloemfontein Celtic supporters’ actions were disappointing when you remember that they are the ones who set the bar on how the other teams’ fans need to behave when their teams are losing or winning.
Bloem is a city that has pride, they are proud of their province and they stick by their team, which is why this was so disappointing. They have now erased all that. We understand their frustration because of the club’s financial situation but there are other ways to voice that frustrations. Invading the pitch shows a lack of respect for the football community and it can also endanger people’s lives.
Orlando Pirates’ celebrations are premature. They must be put on hold, but it is a healthy position to be in. They have done the hard work and it is beautiful. They have picked up the points. Mamelodi Sundowns have the tough task of playing catch-up. Even if they drop points it won’t be more than three points in my opinion because of the enormity of being the Champions League semifinals and their congested fixtures. But it is far from over, Sundowns have been in this situation before and they can still catch up.
Pirates have done the work and have the points on the board – that’s why they are in a favourable position.
When you play games against Al-Ahly in the way Sundowns did, against the best on the continent, it is a huge achievement. Sundowns can still afford to drop points but I don’t believe they will lose at this stage of the league race.
Golden Arrows came into the KZN derby more relaxed because they are safe from relegation while AmaZulu are still in a bit of danger needing a victory or two to be safe. They are certainly not out of the woods yet.
And finally, Free State Stars have not recovered from the death of Sinethemba Jantjie, However, they can use his passing to fight the drop – they should dig deep for that man.