Kaizer Chiefs boss Nasreddine Nabi will be looking for some respite when his team visit Golden Arrows in the PSL on Saturday.
Chiefs will be on the road for the second straight match when they play Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban but their travels have not been so fruitful.
The Glamour Boys suffered defeat last time out away to Richards Bay, extending their winless run to two games, and will head into Saturday’s match looking to right those wrongs.
Chiefs take on an Arrows side still, getting used to new coach Manqiba Mngqithi, who made a sensational return to the club for the third time this month.
Like Nabi, Mngqithi’s team are also coming from a loss but will feel like Chiefs are a team they can beat as they have an impressive record against Amakhosi in recent meetings.
Head-to-Head
Arrows have already beaten Chiefs this season, securing a 1-0 victory in the league in January, which will act as an extra source of motivation.
Abafana Bes'thende have also bossed Chiefs in recent meetings; in their last seven meetings, they have five wins to just two for the Glamour Boys.
That will give them confidence of extending their good record and in the erratic form Chiefs are in, victory will not be a surprise for Mngqithi’s team.
Form Guide
Both teams come into the match on the back of defeats, Mngqithi suffering his his first loss, a surprise 1-0 reverse to Magesi FC.
That followed a win and draw in the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach’s opening two games and he will be looking to bounce back to winning ways with his team sitting 10th on the log with 24 points.
Meanwhile, Chiefs should have been challenging for continental football qualification were it not for their erratic form.
It is not easy to know what to expect from Nabi’s team, whose inconsistencies have left them in eighth place on the table with 29 points, six behind third-placed Stellenbosch FC, who have played a game less.
Chiefs lost 2-0 to Richards Bay just before the international break, the defeat following a goalless draw with Cape Town City, and after struggling against relegation-threatened teams, they will need to improve against Arrows to avoid making it three games without victory.
What have they said?
Chiefs playmaker Mfundo “Obrigado” Vilakazi has emphasised the need to collect maximum points on Saturday after getting stuck in mid table for most of the season.
“This Arrows game is important because we need points, so that we can climb up the table,” Vilakazi told the Sowetan.
“Coming from the U-20 camp, where I scored two goals in the first game and grabbed two assists in the second, my confidence has been boosted … it's so high and I am looking forward to scoring again against Arrows.”
Time, where to watch & ticketing information
The match will kick off at 15:30 and will be live on SuperSport TV (SS2). Tickets are available at Ticketpro and are retailing for R80.
Kaizer Chiefs predicted XI
Bvuma, Frosler, Inacio, Msimango, Cross, Mthethwa, Cele, Shabalala, Lilepo, Mmodi, Du Preez
