Chiefs need to shine at Cape
ʂ The long weekend ahead is packed with exciting football and several chances to win life-changing amounts of cash in TAB soccer pools including a guaranteed R24-million Soccer 13 and two cash-boosted Soccer 10 pools.
Kaizer Chiefs face a watershed week in their season as they look to cling to hopes of second place in the PSL and qualification for African Champions League football next season.
They travel to play fellow ACL hopefuls Cape Town City on Saturday and take on a team against whom they have a dismal recent record. They already trail second-placed Orlando Pirates by four points in the league so another defeat could be fatal to their Champions League hopes.
AmaKhosi have lost five of their last six DStv Premiership games against City with only a 0-0 draw breaking the losing run. No other side in the PSL has such a dominant record against Chiefs in the same timeframe. But the Soweto side did post a 2-1 victory over City in the MTN8 quarter-final earlier this season, which gives cause for some optimism in what is overall a terrible record against Eric Tinkler’s side.
Statistics over the last decade and a bit indicate Chiefs do not enjoy visits to the Cape. In clashes against Ajax Cape Town, Cape Town Spurs and Cape Town City, they have won on only seven of 19 trips to the Mother City since 2011.
There is little solid evidence that Chiefs can buck the trend come Saturday. They seem to have regressed into a side that battles for goals and their 19 goals scored is the lowest of any team in the current top eight. The positive side is that their defence is second only to allconquering Sundowns in the PSL.
They have, at least, had time to work on their deficiencies with a virtual full squad of players staying behind at Naturena during the international break.
Chiefs badly need a win after their Soweto Derby disappointment last time out, but whether they have it within them to break down the well-organised City defence remains to be seen.
The game is included in Saturday’s cash-boosted TAB Soccer 10 and even more alluring for soccer fans this Easter weekend is a guaranteed R24million Soccer 13 pool that comprises seven English Premier League games and six matches from top European leagues.
HIRED/FIRED: Serie A bottomof-the-table Salernitana last week named Stefano Colantuono as their fourth coach this season.
BACK IN ACTION: Cape Town City skipper Thamsanqa Mkhize makes a timely return from suspension for this Saturday’s clash against Kaizer Chiefs and is expected to return to his role at right back.
WHO’S HOT: Endrick came off the bench to score a late winner for Brazil against England and become the youngest male goal-scorer for club or country at Wembley. At just 17 years and 246 days, he is also the youngest player to score for Brazil since Ronaldo in 1994.
WHO’S COLD: Moroka Swallows have not won a game since November with their financial woes resulting in the club failing to field a team in two matches in December.