Amakhosi will be looking to strengthen their chances of finishing in the top eight when they welcome Marumo Gallants this Saturday at FNB Stadium. Underfire, Nasreddine Nabi will need to dig deep in order to bag all three points.
The home side failed to build on their 2-1 win against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semifinal when they played a goalless draw against Chippa United. The draw stretched their winless run in the league to five matches.
With the league race getting closer to the finish line, Chiefs have a difficult end as they are set to face Orlando Pirates, Sekhukhune United, and Polokwane City.
The Soweto giants are eighth on the log with 31 points, having won eight, played seven draws, and lost ten in their opening ten matches.
Midfielders Gaston Sirino and Pule Mmodi will be serving suspensions. Zitha Kwinika started at the back, as regular starters Given Msimango, Inacio Miguel, and Rushwin Dortley were all sidelined due to injuries. Their returns are yet to be confirmed.
Gallants, on the other hand, look to be heading in the right direction and are escaping relegation, having moved to the 13th position after securing two victories and two draws in their last four league matches.
They edged relegation candidates Cape Town City 1-0 and followed that up with a hard-earned 2-1 victory against TS Galaxy. They managed to avoid losses when they held SuperSport United and Golden Arrows, respectively.
The Bloemfontein-based team will aim to avoid a second successive loss to Chiefs, having gone down 2-1 in their last meeting.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Prior to his injury, Wandile Duba was enjoying a good run of form and scoring crucial goals for Nabi’s team. He returned from injury and scored the equaliser in their 2-1 win against Sundowns. The 20-year-old has made 18 league appearances, netted five goals and provided one assist.
After receiving a great deal of criticism from fans, Yusuf Maart has improved his game and has been a pillar of Chiefs’ midfield, adding numbers defensively and during attacks together with Thabo Cele.
Sede Junior Dion, who is on loan from AmaZulu, showed class in Gallants’ recent match against Arrows after he was started ahead of veteran striker Gabadinho Mhango. He netted a first-half goal before he was substituted in the 69th minute after sustaining an injury.
FNB Stadium
The 95,000-seater stadium will host the clash between Glamour Boys and Siwelele saMarumo. Located in Nasrec, south of Johannesburg, the FNB Stadium is a renowned sports and entertainment venue that has become an integral part of South Africa’s rich history and culture.
The stadium is one of five new stadiums that were built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and hosted the opening match and the final of the global spectacle.
Head-to-head stats:
14/09/2024: Marumo Gallants 1 – 2 Kaizer Chiefs
08/04/2023: Kaizer Chiefs 1-1 Marumo Gallants
11/09/2022: Marumo Gallants 1-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Betting odds
Kaizer Chiefs 8/10 | Draw 39/20 | Marumo Gallants 39/10
Prediction:
The outcome of this match is hard to predict as both sides have been inconsistent. Stats show that Chiefs is on a downward spiral while the visitors are showing signs of improvement. However, Amakhosi will want to head to the Soweto Derby with momentum on their side while Gallants will not want to drop points as they are still too close to the drop zone. Back Chiefs to win at 8/10.
Written by Siphesihle Soni.