After showing grit in a feisty 1-1 Soweto Derby draw against Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs face a Wednesday visit to Siwelele in Bloemfontein knowing a win will make them very difficult to catch in the race for a CAF Confederation Cup spot.
The top two teams in the Premiership automatically qualify for the CAF Champions League. Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have all but secured those spots. The Soweto Derby draw left Chiefs 12 points behind Pirates with a game in hand and 11 behind Sundowns.
Chiefs and Sundowns, who will be in action against Polokwane City on Wednesday while Chiefs face Siwelele, each have five games left in the Premiership season. Pirates have only four remaining.
Essentially, Chiefs are playing for third at this point — which would guarantee automatic CAF Confederation Cup qualification — and the Glamour Boys are currently five points ahead of fourth-placed AmaZulu with a game in hand.
Amakhosi have enjoyed a turnaround in form since their 3-0 Derby defeat to Orlando Pirates and subsequent 1-0 loss to Richards Bay less than two months ago.
Chiefs proved beyond doubt that their mentality has taken a turn for the better since their slump early this year by responding well to a pre-match fracas between officials from the two Soweto giants which disrupted the Glamour Boys’ warmup.
Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef implied that by not ensuring Chiefs’ final preparations before kick-off proceeded smoothly, Orlando Pirates – who were technically hosts for Sunday’s derby – brought South African football into disrepute.
“I think what happened before this game is something we can’t accept,” he said in the post-match press conference at FNB Stadium on Sunday.
“We are sending bad pictures of our football. People are waiting to see the football, but what we saw before the game, we can’t accept.
“I think if you want to win the league – if you want to beat the teams – you have to win with football, not like that. It’s about safety. We spoke about safety, but people from outside are coming and fighting with our players in our warm-up, in our half.”
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou threw his own barbs at Chiefs, accusing them of playing for a draw and attempting to injure their opponents.
While Chiefs have paid for their ill-discipline at times this season, the grit shown on Sunday came at a pivotal moment in their season. Ben Youssef and fellow co-coach Cedric Kaze will hope for a similarly targeted show of spirit come Wednesday.
Key details
Date: Wednesday, April 29 at 19:30 CAT (17:30 GMT)
Venue: Free State Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
How to watch: The match is scheduled to air on SuperSport PSL (DSTV channel 202)
Team news
Despite long-term injury absentees including Rushwin Dortley, Etiosa Ighodaro and Nkanyiso Shinga, Kaizer Chiefs are moving closer to having their full contingent available.
Their squad has plenty of depth with close to everyone available and Pule Mmodi started and scored the opener in the Soweto Derby despite having been out of the squad in the previous three games.
Sibongiseni ‘Ox’ Mthethwa played a key role in midfield despite limited minutes of late.
Expected lineups
Siwelele
GK Ricardo Goss
LB Neo Rapoo | CB Pogiso Sanoka | CB Nyiko Mobbie | RB Yandisa Mfolozi
CM Gape Moralo | CM Grant Margeman
LW Bohlale Ngwato | AM Vincent Pule | RW Ghampani Lungu
Kaizer Chiefs
GK Brandon Petersen
LB Bradley Cross | CB Given Msimango | CB Aden McCarthy | RB Thabiso Monyane
CM Siphesihle Ndlovu | CM Lebo Maboe
LW Wandile Duba | AM Makabi Glody Lilepo | RW Pule Mmodi
ST Flávio da Silva
Stats
Brandon Petersen made 6 saves for Kaizer Chiefs in their Soweto Derby draw with Orlando Pirates on Sunday.
Siwelele have drawn each of their last 3 fixtures.
