The battle for a place in next season’s Caf Confederation Cup gathers pace this weekend as Kaizer Chiefs travel to Sekhukhune United on Sunday in the Betway Premiership.
Chiefs in the box seat
Chiefs are in pole position to finish third in the table and make it into the Confederation Cup for the second successive season. With three games left to play, however, AmaZulu and Sekhukhune remain in the mix too.
Chiefs can end Sekhukhune’s hopes of finishing third by beating them at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday. Amakhosi currently lead fifth-placed Babina Noko by six points.
AmaZulu are fourth, five points off Chiefs, and can cut the gap to two if they manage to beat Orbit College on Saturday at Olympia Park in Rustenburg.
Both Chiefs and AmaZulu drew in midwekk, Amakhosi getting the far better result, however, in holding Mamelodi Sundowns to a 1-1 draw at Loftus Stadium.
Usuthu were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Golden Arrows, a stoppage time goal from Jerome Carelse denying Arthur Zwane’s side all three points.
Sekhukhune United picked up an impressive 3-1 win at Chippa United on the same evening, storming into a 3-0 lead before half time. Babina Noko sacked their head coach Eric Tinkler last month, with Paulus Masehe and Andre Arendse assuming temporary charge.
Masehe and Arendse lost their opening fixture to Stellenbosch before drawing at home to Gallants and taking down the Chilli Boyz.
Sekhukhune have struggled for goals this season. The game against Chippa, indeed, was the first time they have scored three times in a league match since September. That match, ironically, was against Chiefs on September 16, as Bradly Grobler scored twice and Thabang Monare netted in a 3-1 win at FNB Stadium.
The 38 year-old Grobler has eight league goals this season but has been out injured since the start of last month.
Amakhosi’s problems
Chiefs have their own problems ahead of this game with Mduduzi Shabalala out injured for the rest of the season and Siphesihle Ndlovu out suspended.
Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze’s side had five successive league wins from mid-March to mid-April. They have not won any of their last four league matches, though two of those games have been draws with title-chasing Orlando Pirates and Sundowns.
The overall head-to-head between Chiefs and Sekhukhune in the Premiership is extremely close. Chiefs have four wins, Sekhukhune have three and there have been two draws.
