Amakhosi look for return to winning form

Kaizer Chiefs will look for a return to winning form when the Betway Premiership stages a truncated weekend round of five matches from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 December.

With the top three in the league standings – Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC – in action in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, Chiefs will take centre stage as they look to shake off a run of form which has seen them claim just one win from their last five matches across all competitions.

The Amakhosi are placed a disappointing seventh on the log and let two points slip away last weekend when they gave up a two-goal lead to be held 2-2 at home by Royal AM.

As they gear up to face Polokwane City (winless in their last three matches, drawing 1-1 with TS Galaxy in their last outing) at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon, coach Nasreddine Nabi has demanded a reaction from his players.

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Kaizer Chiefs' record at the Peter Mokaba Stadium this season 👀

Should they keep playing there? #SSDiski | #BetwayPrem pic.twitter.com/vrm4HDFF08
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2024

“If the players don’t understand what the problem is after [the 2-2 draw with Royal]… they’ve got to understand and if they don’t give a reaction, I think you understand me, I don’t want to continue,” stated the Tunisian.

“You need to change yourself and the mentality. In football, you don’t play for yourself. We play together for 90 minutes, as a collective, be focused and responsible because you play for a big club. I don’t want to attack any player. Together we need to take more responsibility to defend the entity of Kaizer Chiefs.”

The round gets under way at King Zwelithini Stadium on Friday evening when bottom-of-the-log Richards Bay host SuperSport United in a battle of two teams also desperate to get back to form, while Saturday features AmaZulu FC chasing a third straight win when they face TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium.

Usuthu had a nightmare start to the season, but under the guidance of co-coaches Arthur Zwane and Vusumuzi Vilakazi, they appear revitalised.

“Moving forward I think we have the right confidence in the team as well as the chemistry from the players,” said Vilakazi. “We're still a work in progress and we will do better going forward.”

Saturday will also see Marumo Gallants and Magesi FC scrapping over three points at the Dr Molemela Stadium in the late afternoon, while the night game at the Peter Mokaba Stadium sees Sekhukhune United hosting Cape Town City.