Picture: @KaizerChiefs via Twitter
JOHANNESBURG – There was a double dose of good news for Kaizer Chiefs yesterday.
Hours after Chiefs secured passage to the first round of the Caf Champions League, came the news that Tuesday’s match against Black Leopards would be played 24 hours later. The new date will give Chiefs an extra day to prepare for Wednesday’s match.
The PSL decided on the reprieve after Chiefs’ Champions League match was played on Saturday instead of Friday.
At the same time, there was word from the club's medical staff who announced that Serbian-born striker Samir Nurkovic will return to training this week.
Last season, he was Chiefs' leading goalscorer with 13 Premiership goals, and he will be high on coach Gavin Hunt's Christmas wish list in view of the team's on-going goal drought.
"Samir Nurkovic returns to training this week. His progress will be monitored, and further updates will follow,” Chiefs announced on Twitter yesterday.
Nurkovic will very likely return before the Christmas break and come into consideration for the match against SuperSport United next Tuesday at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
On Saturday Chiefs will play their final league match before the break against MTN8 finalists Bloemfontein Celtic at FNB Stadium.
Chiefs will return to Champions League action just ahead of Christmas. On 22 December, Chiefs will play 1º de Agosto, the Angolan champions, in a first-round first leg match in Johannesburg.
League rivals Sundowns will join Chiefs at this stage of the competition and will face Botswana Premier League champions Jwaneng Galaxy over two legs.
For now, Chiefs' lowly log position in the league is not sitting well with the Amakhosi faithful and it will be only a matter of time before they take to social media to voice their disapproval.
After five matches, Chiefs are in 13th place and lurk close to the relegation zone.
@Herman_Gibbs