Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
What’s up Chiefs?
Title hopes now down to the wire
HOW did things go so wrong? How did we squander the lead that appeared to end our five-year trophy drought? Those are some of the questions that Kaizer Chiefs and their supporters are probably asking themselves after an underwhelming outing this year.
In the first half of the season, Amakhosi had all the right ingredients to be champions elect after an impressive resurgence under coach Ernst Middendorp. But such has been their fall from grace in the last few months that they need to dig deep in their last three matches.
On Thursday, champions Mamelodi Sundowns went level with Chiefs on 53 points after defeating them by 1-0 at Orlando Stadium. The Brazilians may have remained second on the log due to an inferior goal difference but that they’ve come-from-behind to win the league in the last two seasons should be a concern for Amakhosi.
Sundowns’ win didn’t only make the championship race open but their stalwarts appear to be stepping up to the plate during crunch time, something that cannot be said for Chiefs’ squad who are enduring a rollercoaster ride since the restart of the season.
Striker Samir Nurkovic has managed to drag the team to where it is at the moment but it appears that if he’s not available on match-day there are no players that can score. Khama Billiat is enduring a goal drought as he hasn’t scored since September 24.
But be that as it may, he hasn’t been able to receive the necessary support from open play as Chiefs’ goals in recent months have come from setpieces. Middendorp has defended that strategy, saying that teams in the Uefa Champions League also adopt a similar approach when it matters the most.
However, the fact that they’ve lost two matches, to Bloemfontein Celtic and Sundowns, in their last three outings could potentially tell a story of a team that may have deep internal problems. Daniel Akpeyi may have been the team’s No 1 this season but that he’s conceded eight goals since the restart is alarming.
But Middendorp has made it clear that he’s not ready to rest or drop him after bemoaning that Itumeleng Khune, who’s donned the No 1 jersey with distinction in the last few seasons before he became injury prone, was not fully committed when the team prepared for the restart.
Bruce Bvuma remains the club’s No 2 but he’s not equipped for crunch time. And Middendorp should know that sometimes all that he needs during championship time is experience and not necessarily form or match fitness, which most players don’t have after the long layoff. Many of the Chiefs’ faithful will hope that he’s learnt his lesson heading into the final three games as Chiefs will clash with Bidvest Wits tomorrow, before squaring off with Chippa United and Baroka FC in the penultimate and final round respectively. You see, all those opposing teams still have so much to play for. Wits are hoping to end their chapter on a high note after selling their status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila ahead of the new campaign. Chippa and Baroka, on the other hand, are hoping to escape the relegation dogfight as they’ve had underwhelming campaigns respectively.