Kaizer Chiefs are set to play Mamelodi Sundowns, yet again, this season for the third time across all competitions.
The first meeting was in the Premier Soccer League where the defending champions claimed a 2-1 win. They followed it up with a 4-0 win in the Carling Knockout quarter-final, dimming the Glamour Boys' hope of ending their decade-long trophy drought.
However, on Saturday, Chiefs are set to at least avenge one of the losses. The Soweto giants will be welcoming Mozambique international Edmilson Dove who has been nursing an Achilles tendon he raptured during the club's pre-season training camp in Turkey in July.
The club has confirmed the 31-year-old is ready to be involved this weekend at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
‘Every player wants to be involved in these types of matches'
“It hasn’t been an easy journey but, by the grace of God, I am running again. I want to thank the doctors and express my gratitude to the Club for all the resources that were put at my disposal to help me recover as soon as possible,” Dove said as quoted by the club's media team.
“I also deeply appreciate the support from my teammates and the technical staff. It has really helped me a lot.”
Dove insists players are yearning to play Downs hoping to get a positive result, “These are the types of games each and every player wants to be involved in. There is no need for any extra motivation. We are all excited. You can see it in the eyes of our players and the work they are putting in this week.
“[There is] a desire to win every match we play. We will count the points up at the end of the season but right now the focus is on performing well for our fans against a good team and hopefully getting a positive result,” Dove added.
Dove insists Chiefs are ready for revenge and asks for fans' support
“We still have a lot to play for this season and our policy is to take one game at a time, either to get through to the next round of the [Nedbank] Cup, or collect as many points as we can in our remaining matches. The vibe throughout the Club is positive and highly motivated,” the Os Mambas defenders continued.
“Obviously, they are a good side. They have depth in their squad and have been on a good run, but as far as I am concerned, I don’t worry too much about the opposition because at the end of the day, what matters most is what we do. Our purpose is to be at our best to give a good account of ourselves because that is the part we can control. Obviously, we do analysis on our opponents but we primarily focus on our own approach.
“From the supporters, we cannot ask for more than they have been doing. They have been behind us through thick and thin, and have never abandoned us even when things haven’t gone our way, so I want to commend them and let them know how much we appreciate their loyalty. Their support is very important to the team and they play a major part in everything we do on the field. Their singing from the stands lifts up our spirits and we implore them to keep supporting us because we need them,” Dove concluded.
