Kaizer Chiefs have all the tools in their arsenal to pile up more misery on SuperSport United’s poor start to the season when the two sides clash in the Premiership this weekend.
Nasreddine Nabi and his charges will get an opportunity to back up their 4-0 win over SuperSport last week in the Carling Knockout Cup when the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane once again hosts this heavyweight clash tomorrow (5.30pm kick-off).
There has been an attractive and exciting quality within the shores of Naturena, and that has seen the mighty Kaizer Chiefs overturn their fortunes in a short space of time.
The stumble against powerhouses Mamelodi Sundowns in their last league match could have easily derailed the path back to glory.
Instead, ‘Nabi Ball’ resumed as per normal last weekend, with goals from Gaston Sirino, Yusuf Maart, Ranga Chivaviro and Ashley du Preez, and the writing could be on the wall for SuperSport if don’t sort themselves out in time.
Such has been the excitement within the Amakhosi camp that even their faithful fans have been oozing in confidence as they have now found their voice, and they have been flocking into the stands with hope restored that a return to being amongst the best in the country is seemingly imminent.
Both sides got one over each other last season, but Matsatsantsa a Pitori have had it hard with the few exchanges they have had so far this season.
They have only managed to collect five points from a possible 15, with one victory to their name in the league.
Prior to their ‘Beer Cup’ hopes being dashed, Gavin Hunt and his troops lost 1-0 away from home against Cape Town City, and the 2-0 loss against Orlando Pirates on Tuesday night meant that they have suffered three defeats in a row, having already been knocked out of two cup competitions.
❤️✌️ #Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/SsR45q5MgW
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) October 23, 2024
Amakhosi, on the other hand, took a step closer to quenching their trophy drought, but cannot afford to be hungover against the wounded former league champions.
Matsatsantsa’s mentor believes this tough period will build a lot of character within his young side as they continue to search for the winning formula.
“With our young players, they don’t learn; they learn on their feet,” Hunt said ahead of the clash.
“In taking defeats, you do have to learn on your feet; you have to be ready for this, and that is what it’s about. But they will learn, but obviously we don’t want to learn for too long.”
Speaking about playing the same opponents twice in a short space of time, Hunt took positives from the last Chiefs encounter despite the heavy loss.
The new man himself 🙌👍
Abubeker Nasir is a Spartan! 🔵🤝#MatsatsantsaUnified pic.twitter.com/IaARiEhOBL
“If I’m honest, we were the team that made the tempo, and to be fair, before they scored, we made the tempo,” he said.
“Yes, they had the one break-out, but it was a break-out – it wasn’t like we were back.
“But at the end of the day, a score-line is a score-line, and once you go down, you chase the game.”
Chiefs have only lost one of the three league games they have played, and this could be a chance to extend their momentum.