Chiefs’ top eight prospects on the line against old foes Amazulu

Smiso Msomi

THE prospects of Kaizer Chiefs making the top eight at the end of the 2023/24 Premiership season are in serious jeopardy ahead of their trip to AmaZulu.

The teams meet at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday (5.30pm kick-off) with qualifying for next year’s MTN8 competition at the top of the agenda.

Amakhosi, one of the country’s most successful clubs, find themselves in a bizarre position of potentially missing out on a competition they’ve won a record 15 times.

The Naturena-based club currently hold eighth spot on the Premiership standings having collected 34 points in 27 games this season.

The unpredictability of the South African top flight sees at least nine teams still with a realistic chance of qualifying for or missing out on a top-eight place.

Just two points separate the eighth-placed Glamour Boys and old foes AmaZulu.

Having been eliminated from all cup competitions, Chiefs’ prospects this season have deteriorated by the week as they dropped from battling for a CAF competition place to holding onto a top-eight spot by the skin of their teeth.

This has been a result of their underwhelming performances in the second round of the season.

Chiefs have won just two games in all competitions in 2024, drawing four and losing six in the 12 matches they’ve played since the season’s resumption in February.

With only three games of the campaign remaining, head coach Cavin Johnson is under pressure to collect all nine points available to the team as dropping points in their next match would see their season go from bad to worse.

The side to decide Chiefs’ immediate destiny is AmaZulu, who themselves have an interest sitting in 12th place and are desperate to make a late surge up the table.

Usuthu have become something of a headache for Chiefs in recent seasons having lost just once in their last nine games against the Soweto giants – a confidence-boosting statistic ahead of this tricky encounter.

Despite Chiefs’ huge support base and potential in their squad, the KwaZulu-Natal side will feel at ease knowing they have the exact form as their next opponents. Both teams have lost three, drawn one and won one of their last five matches in the league.

Speaking in the build-up to the game, AmaZulu captain and goalkeeper Veli Mothwa expressed that the near-equal nature of the sides will make this battle a gruelling one.

“It’s gonna be a tough game because Chiefs have been having ups and downs in their team with the performances, and it’s been like that for us as well, so I expect it to be a tough game,” he said.

“Playing against Chiefs is motivation in itself; the players don’t need much motivation. Yes, tactically we have to apply ourselves to that and respect the opposition.”

Sunday’s other Premiership matches (all 3pm): Cape Town City vs TS Galaxy, Golden Arrows vs Chippa United

smiso.msomi@inl.co.za