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Chiefs desperate for return to winning form

football15 February 2021 15:05| © Backpage TXT
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Reeve Frosler © Gallo Images

Kaizer Chiefs will be desperate for a return to winning form when they welcome AmaZulu to the FNB Stadium on Wednesday afternoon for a DStv Premiership match.

Kick-off is at 3pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).

Chiefs come into the match on the back of successive league and cup losses: their last DStv Premiership outing saw them beaten 2-1 by arch rivals Orlando Pirates on 30 January, and a week later they were stunned by the same scoreline in the first round of the Nedbank Cup by second-tier team Richards Bay.

“We need a lot of work,” said Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt, with the Amakhosi placed a lowly ninth on the log, and 15 points off the pace of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. “We need more fight‚ we need better attitude when we go out there and that is something that is very difficult to change.”

The Soweto giants should have travelled to Morocco this past weekend for a CAF Champions League group-stage clash against Wydad Casablanca, but Covid-19 travel complications and delays saw the game postponed – at least allowing some extra rest and preparation time for Hunt and his team, though the match will simply be squeezed into their schedule at a later date.

AmaZulu, meanwhile, have put together a strong run of form in recent weeks. The Durban side may have played to a goalless stalemate away to Swallows FC on Sunday, but they are unbeaten in six games in the league and have taken 10 of the last 12 points up for grabs.

Usuthu have also been tough to beat on the road this season. They lost their first two away games to TS Galaxy and Mamelodi Sundowns, but are unbeaten as visitors ever since.

“We weren’t our usual selves, that was probably our worst performance under my leadership since taking over,” said coach Benni McCarthy of the draw against Swallows. “Lots still to build on, lots to take from this.”

He added, “We have to regroup and refocus our energy, and hopefully a better AmaZulu team pitches up [against Kaizer Chiefs on Wednesday].”

In head-to-head stats, AmaZulu and Chiefs have met in 59 league matches since 1985. The Amakhosi have claimed 37 wins compared to eight for Usuthu, while 14 games have been drawn.

The Soweto side have won 21 of their 30 home league matches against their Durban counterparts, suffering just three defeats in the process.

The teams met in the Premiership as recently as 13 January this season, with Chiefs claiming a 1-0 away win thanks to an early goal from Samir Nurkovic.

The result ended a seven-game winless streak for the Amakhosi at the time.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH: KAIZER CHIEFS

Samir Nurkovic – After missing a key penalty against Orlando Pirates in Chiefs’ last league outing, striker Samir Nurkovic will be determined to silence his critics. There could be no better way to do this than by leading the Amakhosi to a victory in this midweek clash.

Reeve Frosler – Having Reeve Frosler back in the mix has been a major boost for Kaizer Chiefs, with the versatile player offering great quality down the right flank. He’ll look to provide an attacking threat against an AmaZulu defence which has not always been the most organised.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH: AMAZULU

Makhehlene Makhaula – Winning the midfield battle lays the foundation for success in any game and AmaZulu have a superb ‘engine room’ worker in Makhehlene Makhaula, whose energy and competitiveness may give them the edge on Wednesday.

Lehlohonolo Majoro – The veteran striker will relish the chance to come up against one of his former teams, and will hope to use all of his nous and experience to capitalise on any mistakes from the Chiefs defence – something they have been guilty of several times this season.

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