Kaizer Chiefs have another chance – in the Nedbank Cup, to try and end their decade-long trophyless run.
Amakhosi failed to impress in the Carling Knockout where they fell in the quarter-final against Mamelodi Sundowns. They have been inconsistent in the Premier Soccer League which locks them out of the race.
The Glamour Boys will be playing third-tier side Free Agents on Sunday in the Round of 32 of the annual competition hoping to go all the way.
Recent Form & Head-to-Head
The Soweto giants have not failed to disappoint when they are expected to collect a favourable result.
This year, they have played four matches, all in the Premier Soccer League, where they have won two and lost as many.
They are playing against a side that has so little information available which makes the game even more interesting. This is the first time the two teams are meeting acoss all competitions.
What They Said
Amakhosi assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef is not expecting an easy outing, “To be honest with you this problem is not only with Kaizer Chiefs. It happens always when a team from a lower division plays a team from the first division, they struggle, they have a lot of problems,” he said in a pre-match interview.
“Like I said, it's a mental problem because this team does not have pressure. If they win the game, it means everything to them, if they lose, no one can blame them for losing the game, because there is a difference between the level.
“I know, we have a lot of problems when we play against teams from lower divisions. We discussed a lot, and we had individual meetings with our players. We make; we discuss a lot with them to prepare themselves.”
Free Agents coach Olaitan Oladeru fancies his chances of causing an upset, “We set standards, we are already losers if we say we are going there with nothing to lose, let’s just go play and leave the stadium,” he stated ahead of the game.
“We are just going to whatever thing that is going to happen. When I heard the advert of the tournament, they said David versus Goliath so you know anything can happen.
“Message to Kaizer Chiefs, there’s no warning, we have to respect the brand as one of the biggest teams in the country, but they must prepare.”
Team News and Starting XI
Njabulo Blom suffered an injury against Sekhukhune United, and it is not yet clear whether he is available. Midfielder Gaston Sirino has been out for quite some time meaning he will not be risked against the third-tier outfit.
Coach Nasreddine Nabi is still serving suspension paving the way for Ben Youssef to continue his role in the technical area.
Chiefs Probable XI: Ntwari, Msimango, Ditlhokwe, Mashiane, Matlou, Zwane, Mthethwa, Vilakazi, Shabalala, Duba
Where to Watch
The match will kick off at 17.00 hours and will be live on SuperSport's Premier Soccer League TV Channel 202.
