Nabi and Chiefs chase redemption after almost a month off

Kaizer Chiefs and coach Nasreddine Nabi will be chasing redemption after almost a month away from competitive action when they face Richards Bay in a Betway Premiership clash at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Wednesday.

Kick-off is at 7.30 pm CAT.

Match background

Chiefs come into the clash on the back of three winless matches across all competitions: a 1-0 loss to SuperSport United and 2-2 draw with Magesi FC in the Premiership, as well as a 4-0 humbling at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout in early November.

The continuation of the League Cup, and the international break earlier this month, means that the Soweto giants will have gone 25 days without a competitive match by the time they walk out at the Peter Mokaba Stadium to face Richards Bay.

As for the KwaZulu- Natal side, they have not claimed an outright win in any of their last five matches, with their most recent outings a 1-0 loss to Magesi in the Carling Knockout semifinals on November 9, and a defeat by the same score line to Orlando Pirates in the league four days prior.

Coming into this match, Chiefs are placed eighth on the log with se

ven points from five matches, while Bay are 12th with five points from seven matches.

What the teams are saying

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari on conceding 11 goals in seven matches, and the team’s desire to turn their season around:

“It’s not about me being the problem. The issue is the team isn’t in a good place right now. We started the season well, but over the last three games, we haven’t performed as expected.

“This is a team with a passionate fan base, and the pressure to win every match is always there. Sometimes players are at fault, but the only way forward is to keep working hard. We’ll continue giving everything to ensure the team gets back on track.”

Richards Bay coach Brandon Truter in his team’s struggles, and arguing that it is not his job to motivate players to win:

“That is the problem because when you look at the coach to motivate you, then you have nothing, nothing to think about.

“I can teach you football, I can teach you everything but when you look at these ingredients – the war, the determination, the motivation, the drive, it is inside – I can't coach. Some players understand that but for some players it is okay to lose.”

Key players

Mduduzi Shabalala, Kaizer Chiefs

The young midfielder pulled Chiefs from the fire in their last league game against Magesi in late October, striking a quick-fire brace of goals in the second half to salvage a 2-2 draw when a defeat against the PSL rookies looked inevitable. Shabalala will hope to continue his form when the Amakhosi take to the field on Wednesday evening.

Justice Figuareido, Richards Bay

Bay have struggled in attack this season, scoring just two goals in 10 matches across all competitions... and none in their last five in succession. Eswatini’s Justice Figuareido has the skills to end this drought – either as a finisher or creator – but he will need to be given the right platform by Bay’s midfield to have any chance of penetrating Chiefs’ defence.

Head-to-head

In head-to-head stats, Chiefs and Bay have met in four league matches: the Amakhosi have claimed three wins compared to one for the Natal Rich Boyz.

Last season’s two Premiership matches both produced 1-0 home wins. Chiefs triumphed at FNB Stadium in December 2023 thanks to a goal from Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, while the return game at the King Zwelithini Stadium in April 2024 went the way of Bay courtesy of a strike from Simphiwe Mcineka.