A top-eight spot will be on the card when Kaizer Chiefs battle Polokwane City in their last league match for the season on Saturday at FNB Stadium, with kick-off set for 15:00.
This season has delivered many trials and tribulations for Kaizer Chiefs to overcome, and one could argue that this could be close to their worst season ever, despite winning the Nedbank Cup, which ended a decade-long trophy drought after defeating long-term rivals Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final recently.
On the other hand, Polokwane City were the surprise package in the first half of the season but have themselves to blame for such a poor display in the second half of the campaign. However, Rise and Shine have done enough to finish in the top eight, which secures their spot in the MTN8 next season.
Date: May 24, 2025
Venue: FNB Stadium
Kickoff Time: 15:00
The FNB Stadium will take centre stage as Kaizer Chiefs look to end the season off with a massive victory as they host Polokwane City in the Betway Premiership on 24 May 2025. The last time these two clubs met, Rise and Shine walked away with a 2-0 victory, which Amakhosi will be determined to return the favour, especially playing at home in front of the Chiefs faithful.
Pre-Game Odds & Win Probability
HOME: 5/4 (2.25) – 44.4%
DRAW: 9/5 (2.80) – 35.7%
AWAY: 43/20 (2.55) – 31.7%
Odds courtesy of Hollywoodbets, subject to change.
Head-To-Head Record
Last five meetings (Premier Soccer League)
08/12/2024: Polokwane City 2-0 Kaizer Chiefs
18/05/2024: Kaizer Chiefs 0-0 Polokwane City
09/12/2023: Polokwane City 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs
15/08/2020: Polokwane City 2-3 Kaizer Chiefs
14/09/2019: Kaizer Chiefs 0-1 Polokwane City
Kaizer Chiefs Current Form – DDLLL
This has been a challenging season for Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi. The Tunisian was appointed Amakhosi manager in July last year and has not been able to make this team his own due to unfortunate circumstances. The 59-year-old is rumoured to leave his position at the end of the season, despite guiding Amakhosi to their first trophy in 10 seasons. If Nabi is to stay, it will be interesting to see how Chiefs rebuild ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The last five fixtures have demonstrated the struggles Chiefs have experienced and have work to do if they are to reach their high standards of years ago. The two successive draws against TS Galaxy and Chippa United showed their lack of attacking threat and inability to take control of proceedings, followed by three defeats, which have seen them give up the lead in two of the three games in back-to-back home defeats. The matchup against Sekhukhune was tough, however, they will need to regroup and focus as they look to give their fans a happy send-off with maximum points in the bag.
Key Players To Watch
Wandile Duba: Duba has proved he has what it takes to make a difference for the Glamour Boys. The Chiefs’ academy graduate missed a good number of matches owing to an injury, but his versatility and effectiveness in the final third to score goals or create scoring opportunities make him a regular ahead of players who have been fit throughout.
Makabi Lilepo: Lilepo has hit the ground running since joining Kaizer Chiefs in January, despite it being early in his Chiefs career. The Congolese has significantly improved Amakhosi’s attacking department, which looked thin before his arrival. Even though he joined four months ago, Lilepo is tied in second place for goals scored this season, making him a real threat for the Glamour Boys.
Mduduzi Shabalala: Shabalala is among the Chiefs players who stood up when Nasreddine Nabi needed players to deliver. So far, he has played 32 games across all competitions with four goals and two assists. The goals have come from the 26 games played in the Premier Soccer League, where he has also managed to get an assist.
Kaizer Chiefs Team News
Rushwin Dortley was injured at the start of March and had to undergo surgery, which will see him work towards full fitness and return in the off-season. Besides Dortley, Nasreddine Nabi has a full squad to work with as he aims to end the season off with a victory.
Polokwane City Current Form – LLDDW
Phuti Mohafe has done an incredible job with Polokwane City after the departure of Lehlohonolo Seema and Duncan Lechesa, who were co-coaches. Mohafe has been on a mission to prove his doubters wrong and has done so in fine style, despite the recent dip in form. The 51-year-old has been able to implement his unique style of play, which has seen them compete at the top of the table for large parts of the season.
The two defeats to Orlando Pirates and Sekhukhune United were due to poor performance. They conceded three goals without finding the back of the net, displaying their recent struggles in attack. A reaction was required and delivered in back-to-back draws, although it was not the result they had hoped for. Rise and Shine have been a tough nut to crack when playing at home this season and proved it when they hosted relegation-threatened Cape Town City. The same mindset and energy will be expected again if they seek to end the season off doing the double on Chiefs.
Key Players To Watch
Mokibelo Ramabu: Ramabu has been growing in confidence and has been a regular starter for the Limpopo club. He has featured in 24 games across all competitions, proving to be an important player for Mohafe in attack. His performances this season did not go unnoticed as the 27-year-old was selected to be a part of Molefi Ntseki’s national squad to compete in the CHAN qualifiers.
Lebohang Nkaki: Nkaki has been a consistent performer for Rise and Shine this season, competing in every game while scoring four goals and providing one assist. He has played an integral role in defence for Mohafe, using his experience to help the team compete at the highest level.
Oswin Appollis: Apollis has become a household name for Polokwane City and even the Bafana Bafana national squad. He has the ability to take defenders on with pace and skill, making him a constant threat in one-on-one situations. His creativity and vision allow him to create scoring opportunities for his team, and he has a keen eye for scoring goals.
Polokwane City Team News
Phuti Mohafe has a full-strength squad coming into this final fixture of the season, barring Thabang Matuludi, who is recovering from a long-term knee injury.
Predicted Line-Up
Kaizer Chiefs: 4-3-3
- Petersen, D. Solomons, Z. Kwinika, I. Miguel, E. Dove, T. Cele, Y. Maart, G. Sirino, P. Mmodi, M. Lilepo, W. Duba
Polokwane City: 4-2-3-1
- Bwire, S. Makhubela, F. Baloyi, L. Nkaki, L. Ndlovu, M. Kambala, N. Maphangule, O. Appollis, N. Raphadu, M. Ramabu, B. Dlamini
Prediction: Kaizer Chiefs to Win
Kaizer Chiefs will be the favourite to win this fixture as they perform well when playing at home. Polokwane City have drastically fallen off the pace and look far from the team they were at the start of the season. Nasreddine Nabi will want to give the fans a winning send-off on the final day, and he will demand a performance worthy of maximum points.