Chiefs just 3 games from glory

Chiefs just 3 games from glory

By Mark Gleeson

Into an eighth season now without a trophy, Kaizer Chiefs will be hoping that the increasingly heavy burden they have been carrying will soon end.

In theory, they are within shooting distance and just three games away from taking the MTN8 and winning their first piece of silverware since the PSL title in 2015. But it’s easier said than done for AmaKhosi, who have not had a smooth start to the season and whose coach Arthur Zwane is still to convince he is capable of clinching trophies at the highest level.

First up in the quest to end the drought is Sunday’s first-leg semi-final against AmaZulu at Soccer City. Chiefs need to take an advantage to Durban for the second leg a fortnight later, but the worry is that they did not look like scoring this month when AmaZulu were at Soccer City and secured a point in a no-score draw.

The Durban outfit are a tough nut to crack because they are defensively solid and there is no guarantee Chiefs will win on Sunday or get into next month’s MTN8 final.

Holders Mamelodi Sundowns are away at Orlando Pirates in the first of the semi-finals on Saturday. Sundowns have netted five goals on their last two trips to the Orlando Stadium and have given the Buccaneers some sobering thrashings down the years.

It is going to be interesting to see the extent of Pirates’ improvement under new coach Jose Riveiro in what is their first real test of the season. They also have the derby against Chiefs coming up.

Pirates will be playing their first game in three weeks, while Sundowns had several players away on international duty in the last week. This could be a factor in favour of the Buccaneers, although it will probably be more than neutralised by the sheer quality at Sundowns’ disposal.

Fans of TAB soccer pools also have the Manchester derby on Sunday to look forward to. The Red Devil’s quick improvement under Erik ten Haag is sure to be fully tested by the EPL champions, who must be fancied to win at home. But the impact of international matches this week on Manchester City players is unknown and has to be a worry. The match is the highlight