Local News – Issue 205

Chiefs Suffer Blow With Musona Ruled Out For The Rest Of The Season

Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. Chiefs confirmed the news via their official Twitter feed after the club’s goalless draw with Bidvest Wits last Wednesday night. “Player Injuries: Musona out for the rest of the season. We wish him a speedy recovery”. The Zimbabwean, who is on loan at Naturena from Hoffenheim, sustained the knock in Amakhosi’s 2-0 win over AS Vita Club in the CAF Champions League on March 29. – Full Story via Kickoff

Orlando Pirates coach Vladimir Vermezovic will soon ring some changes to his squad, with Collins Mbesuma one of the players who will almost certainly make way. The Zambian striker has a contract that runs until 2015, but ‘VV’ has already hinted at the player’s weight issues and that his ‘body looks ready to retire’. Mbesuma’s compatriot Chris Katongo has been mentioned as a possible replacement, as has SuperSport United’s lanky Senegalse striker Mame Niang, but the club are unwilling to respond to any of the rumours. – Full Story via Kickoff

Bafana Bafana playmaker Thulani Serero won his third consecutive Dutch Eredivisie title with Ajax Amsteardm, but it was the first time he collected a league winners’ medal. The former Urban Warrior made just seven appearances in his first season with Ajax and nine in his second; both bit-part roles and therefore not enough to be granted a medal. But this season Serero has been integral for Frank De Boer’s side, making 28 appearances and scoring some crucial goals. But surprisingly for the 24-year-old, his contract has only a season remaining and having proved his worth to the club like that, it is a bit of a surprise that the club is yet to engage his management on a new deal. But agent Alex Kroes of SEG International says they are not concerned. “His contract only expires in June 2015. Let him focus on his football and we will sit down with Ajax after the celebrations and discuss the way forward,” Kroes said.

Orlando Pirates’ chances of finishing inside the top eight are hanging by a thread, but coach Vladimir Vermezovic insists he is not worried about that as he believes in his players. With three games to go, the Buccaneers are fifth on the standings with 41 points, just two ahead of ninth-placed AmaZulu. But it won’t get any easier as they play in-form Bidvest Wits on Wednesday before finishing with games against relegation-threatened teams Free State Stars and Golden Arrows. “I don’t care about the points; we are ahead of the other teams below us,” Vermezovic said. – Full Story via Kickoff

Kaizer Chiefs were knocked out of the CAF Confederation Cup after a 1-0 defeat to ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan on Sunday. Chiefs travelled to the Ivory Coast with a squad of only 13 players and placed assistant coach Doctor Khumalo in charge as Stuart Baxter remained at home to prepare for his side’s next league match. There were not many changes to the starting eleven that lost 2-1 in the first leg at home as Morgan Gould captained the side. Chiefs lost 3-1 on aggregate and were knocked out of Africa.

Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund says he is happy following the draw for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. – Full Story via Kickoff



Moroka Swallows skipper Lefa Tstsutsulupa is set to take up a new role in the Birds’ coaching structures as the club considers its options to fill a post that has been left vacant since the passing away of Dennis Lota. While Swallows will only decide on Lota’s replacement at the end of this season, Tsutsulupa’s name has come up as a likely option, together with that of Goodman Mazibuko – a former Birds captain himself. However, Tsutsulupa is not reading too much into these speculations and has revealed that the club’s management is yet to approach him with a formal proposal. “Look I am still a player and captain of the club and this is what I am focusing on,” said Tsutsulupa. – Full Story via Kickoff

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is still faced with the task of having to decide whether or not he would like to recall on-loan Ajax Cape Town duo of midfielder Thamsanqa Sangweni and striker Eleazar Rodgers. The two – who are currently on loan at the Urban Warriors until the end of the season – are in the plans of coach Roger De Sa, who wants to build a strong and competitive team for the 2014/15 campaign around experienced players. While De Sa hopes that the two will extend their stay with in Cape Town, Mamelodi Sundowns say the future of players will be determined by Mosimane’s plans for next season. – Full Story via Kickoff

Former Orlando Pirates striker Lelo Mbele has revealed his ambitions of returning to the PSL, with his sights set on winning the Golden Boot award. The Congolese striker has dropped a big indication about his intentions of returning to the country by revealing that he still wants to add the PSL Golden Boot to his collection of awards. Mbele left the country seven years ago having last played for Orlando Pirates, and since then has spent most of his career moving across big clubs in the big-spending Arab league’s such as Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Libya and Algeria, as well as a brief stint in Malaysia. The spiky-haired striker has now been enticed by the financial muscle of the Angolan top tier where he is currently turning out for Petro de Luanda, but insists he has his mind of eventually making a return to South Africa. – Full Story via Kickoff

Bidvest Wits are keen to extend the stay of on-loan Mamelodi Sundowns defender Kwanda Mngonyama. Mngonyama is currently on loan until the end of the season. The 20-year-old defender has been a revelation for the Students and was named Absa Man of the Match after the 0-0 draw with Kaizer Chiefs last Wednesday night. According to a source close to Wits, the club wants to bring the youngster on board permanently next season. – Full Story via Kickoff

Golden Arrows coach Shaun Bartlett says no-one can write off his team just yet. The basement club beat SuperSport United 1-0 on Wednesday night at Princess Magogo Stadium, just a few days after thumping Platinum Stars 4-1 in Rustenburg. The result moved them to 21 points, just three behind Free State Stars in 15th place with Arrows left with two matches, while Ea Lla Koto are left with four. The former Bafana Bafana marksman says Arrows will put up a fight in a bid to beat the relegation axe. “I have been confident all along,” Bartlett said. “It is just that we couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net, but we have shown that we can compete. – Full Story via Kickoff

Banyana Banyana will take on Scotland on May 12 in an international friendly. Now coached by Netherlands-born Vera Pauw, Banyana are currently preparing for African Women Championships to be held in Namibia from October 11-25. They have been drawn against Comoros Islands, with a win seeing them through to the AWC, from where the top three finishers qualify for the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada. The friendly match against Scotland will be played in Glasgow.

Moroka Swallows midfielder Giorgi Nergadze has confirmed that he is leaving the club at the end of the season after talks over a new deal broke down. Nergadze says that at this stage he has a one-way ticket to Georgia where two of his former clubs FC Torpedo Kutaisi and FC Dinamo Tbilisi have already tabled offers to re-sign him, though a PSL move is also not completely out of the picture. “I am leaving. We are done with Swallows,” said Nergadze of his looming departure from the Birds Nest where he has given admirable service during his four-year stay. – Full Story via Kickoff

University of Pretoria midfielder Dipsy Selolwane is expected to retire at the end of the season and take up a youth coaching role at the club. The former Botswana international midfielder has spent most of his career in South Africa at Santos, Jomo Cosmos, Ajax Cape Town and SuperSport United before joining Tuks in 2012. Tuks coach Steve Barker has confirmed that he will not play next season but is hoping the 36-year-old will stay at the club in a technical capacity. – Full Story via Kickoff


SA players abroad:

Thulani Serero became the latest South African to claim a league winners medal in Europe when Ajax Amsterdam breezed to the Dutch Eredivise title at the weekend. The Soweto-born star will receive a R4-million bonus having played a major part in the success of Ajax this season as they clinched the league with a 1-1 draw at Heracles. It is the third time in a row that Serero has won the league with Ajax and along with Tokelo Rantie’s Swedish title triumph with Malmo at the end of 2013, is the only league champions abroad … so far.

He could be joined by Daylon Claasen, who made his first start for Polish side Lech Poznan in six weeks as they won 3-0 at home to Wisła Kraków to stay in the hunt for the championship this season. Lech are five points off the pace with six matches to play.

Back to Holland and Kamohelo Mokotjo’s PEC Zwolle lost 2-1 at home to PSV Eindhoven to slip to 10th in the Dutch league table.

Andile Jali started again for Belgian side Oostende as they sealed a place in the UEFA Europa League playoffs with a 1-1 draw against Gent on Saturday. The result means that Oostende have an unassailable four-point lead at the top of their mini-league and will feature in the playoff final.

Ayanda Patosi was a late substitute for Lokeren as they lost 3-1 to Club Brugge in the championship play-offs, while Anele Ngcongca played for Genk as they drew 2-2 at Zulte-Waregem. Both sides are seemingly out of contention for the European places.  

The promotion hopes of Phakase Mngadi and Ntuthuko Radebe with Belgian second-tier Eupen were ended at the weekend as they lost 1-0 at champions Westerlo, with neither of the South Africans playing.

Kagisho Dikgacoi was on the bench as Crystal Palace’s five-match winning run came to an end with 2-0 loss to title-chasing Manchester City.

Tokelo Rantie was a late substitute and Andrew Surman started as Bournemouth won 4-1 at home to Nottingham Forest in the English Championship, but their hopes of making the post-season playoffs after over with just a single round of matches still to play.

Dean Furman started for Doncaster Rovers as they let a lead slip to lose 3-1 at home to Reading and find themselves just one point above the relegation zone. A draw for Birmingham City in midweek will see Rovers tumble into the drop-zone ahead of their final game of the season away at league champions Leicester City on Saturday.

May Mahlangu got more minutes for Swedish side Goteborg as he works his way back from serious injury, this time playing 35 minutes in the 1-0 win over Falkenberg.

Mark Mayambela, also working his way back from injury, was an unused substitute for Djurgardens as they won 3-2 at Brommapojkarna.

Ayanda Nkili missed Orebro’s victory at the weekend through injury.

Keegan Ritchie, Siyanda Xulu, Lebogang Phiri and Tiyiselani Shipalane all missed matches for their respective clubs with injury.

Remaining Premiership Fixtures:

Wednesday, 30 April

19:30: Kaizer Chiefs vs Free State Stars

19:30: Bidvest Wits vs Orlando Pirates

Tuesday, 6 May

19:30: AmaTuks vs Kaizer Chiefs          

19:30: Sundowns vs SuperSport              

19:30: FS Stars vs Orlando Pirates                

19:30: AmaZulu vs Golden Arrows              

19:30: Bloem Celtic vs Ajax CT              

19:30: Bidvest Wits vs Maritzburg          

19:30: Polokwane City vs Swallows

Saturday, 10 May

15:00: Kaizer Chiefs vs AmaZulu              

15:00: Moroka Swallows vs FS Stars              

15:00: SuperSport vs Polokwane City              

15:00: Golden Arrows vs Orlando Pirates    

15:00: Platinum Stars vs Ajax CT

15:00: Bloem Celtic vs Bidvest Wits    

15:00: Black Aces vs AmaTuks

15:00: Maritzburg vs Sundowns