Cape Town City and Kaizer Chiefs will both look to bounce back from weekend disappointment when they get their DStv Premiership campaigns back up and running with a meeting at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.
Kick-off is at 7.30pm CAT.
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City ended last year with a 3-2 loss away to SuperSport United on December 22, snapping a six-game unbeaten run in the Premiership, and they returned to competitive action this past weekend with a 2-1 away loss to Royal AM in the Nedbank Cup.
The Citizens looked on course for victory thanks to Khanyisa Mayo’s early opener, but an own goal from Katlego Mokhuoane and a brilliant free kick strike from Lantshene Phalane took the game away from Eric Tinkler’s side.
“We needed to deal slightly better with [Royal’s crossing] in the second half, and there was the mistake: we didn’t deal with it, the cross came in and unfortunately KG scored an own goal,” said Tinkler after the loss to Royal. “And then the rest I don’t want to comment, because I get into trouble.”
City have suffered some major departures in the January transfer window, including the likes of Fagrie Lakay and Bradley Ralani, but it seems their hope of replacing them in the team with foreign signings is out of their hands, as they wait for the paperwork to come through.
“Right now we are left to wait for home affairs to see when they issue those work permits or not,” added Tinkler.
The Citizens have claimed 15 points from eight home matches this season, with their last result as hosts a 2-1 win over Swallows FC in December.
Chiefs, meanwhile, claimed a third win from their last four league matches when they defeated Maritzburg United 2-0 at home on 22 December, with goals from Khama Billiat and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.
However, the Amakhosi’s return to competitive action this past weekend ended in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of bogey team TS Galaxy, who claimed victory at the FNB Stadium on Saturday evening thanks to a goal from Augustine Kwem.
“The fans will be as disappointed as I am,” said Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter. “They know what this was meaning to us... maybe that was part of the reason that we did not fire on all cylinders. The players also realise that there is an element of anxiety there.”
He added, “We don’t take a week off and then think we can come back when we like. We’re back at training and we’ve got a league game very quickly. We’ve got to make sure we get recuperated, we’ve got to get back on the horse and make sure we are ready to go.”
The Amakhosi have claimed 12 points from eight away matches this season, with their last result on the road a 1-0 loss at Royal AM in December.
In head-to-head stats, City and Chiefs have met in 10 league matches since 2016/17. The Amakhosi have claimed six wins compared to three for the Citizens, while one game has been drawn. The Cape side has recorded one victory and four defeats from their five matches as hosts in the rivalry.
The teams’ league meetings last season both produced 2-1 away wins: Chiefs were victorious at Cape Town Stadium in January 2020 thanks to goals from Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Happy Mashiane, but City claimed revenge with a win at FNB Stadium in April 2021, featuring strikes from Tashreeq Morris and Bradley Ralani.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cape Town City
Khanyisa Mayo – With Fagrie Lakay having left the club for Egyptian side Pyramids FC, youngster Mayo will have a much greater burden to carry, but he showed against Royal AM in the cup that he has the hunger for goals.
Mduduzi Mdantsane – With several key players having departed, playmaker Mdantsane will be an even more influential figure for City. They will need him to be a leader both on and off the pitch as they look to rebuild for the rest of the season.
Kaizer Chiefs
Keagan Dolly – The winger/playmaker has shown flashes of brilliance for Chiefs this season and they’ll need him to recapture his best form if they are to come away with three much-needed points from their trip to Cape Town.
Njabulo Blom – Chiefs will need to ensure that they perform the basics right come Tuesday evening and midfielder Blom will be key in that regard, as he looks to control the tempo of the game from midfield.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2016/17 Chiefs 1-1 CTC Katsande; Sim
2016/17 CTC 3-2 Chiefs Ngoma, Manyama, Moseamedi; Tshabalala, Molangoane
2017/18 CTC 0-2 Chiefs Tshabalala, Meyiwa
2017/18 Chiefs 1-0 City Moon
2018/19 City 1-4 Chiefs Rusike; Ngezana, Billiat 2, Zulu
2018/19 Chiefs 0-1 City Edmilson
2019/20 City 1-2 Chiefs Erasmus; Cardoso, Baccus
2019/20 Chiefs 3-0 City Castro, Nurkovic, Mathoho
2020/21 City 1-2 Chiefs Lakay; Ngcobo, Mashiane
2020/21 Chiefs 1-2 City Baccus; Morris, Ralani
Nazo Ke Isukile ??
— BabizeBonkeZA (@BabizebonkeZ) February 15, 2022
??The Citizens play host to Amakhosi?? in the Mother City. Both teams desperate to bounce back from the weekend's disappoint ??
Who will secure all 3?pts in this #DStvPrem thriller?
?? @CapeTownCityFC OR @KaizerChiefs ??#BabizeBonke #BazozwiDiski pic.twitter.com/0hNNClgI7i