ALTHOUGH Kaizer Chiefs will play against the home team in Soweto, they have started to regain their reputation by collecting points in the Betway Premiership, one of the coaches of this team, Khalil Ben Youssef, says that what has happened will not help them if they do not come to the field with energy.
Chiefs will clash with Orlando Pirates in the home game which will start at 3 pm on Sunday, at FNB Stadium, Nasrec.
When these teams met for the first time in the Betway Premiership this season, Ezimnyama won 3-0.
Amakhosi said that they have woken up in the past weeks, winning five games in a row. Although they were held 0-0 by Polokwane City in the last league match, these results confirm the hopes that the team coached by Ben Youssef in collaboration with Cedric Kaze will be able to return to the Caf competitions next season.
“Every home game has its truth. No one can predict the result and how the game will go. Every one is different. I think that in the first derby we were in a bad time, we are coming from playing many games in a row and we are not ready for this kind of game.
“There is a difference between that game and the one we are going to play. Our team has done well in the last six or seven games. I don’t want to comment too much on what Pirates did but we all see how well they are playing under coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
“The team that will avoid mistakes in the home game is the one that will do well. We will be ready for the challenge, we are doing everything possible to be ready to win this game.”
Ben Youssef said that what made Amakhosi improve their level in recent games was the decrease in the number of injured players, which means that they are now able to maintain the scheme of not matching games in a row.
“We have had the misfortune of being disobedient to many players in the past. The difficult thing when you are a coach is that if the players change due to injuries, you have to change the way you organize the team,” he said.
“In previous games, we were able to use the same players. The consistency of the team allows them to hold the ball and get good results.”
It has been three years since the Chiefs failed to defeat the Pirates in the league games since they finally won 1-0 in February 2023.
The Blacks have won all five recent league games between these Soweto teams.
Betway Premiership games this weekend
Namuhla: Durban City v Orbit College (Chatsworth Stadium, 7.30pm); Lamontville Golden Arrows v Siwelele (King Zwelithini Stadium, 7.30pm)
Currently: AmaZulu v Chippa United (Moses Mabhida Stadium, 3pm); Sekhukhune United v Marumo Gallants
NgeSonto: Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs (FNB Stadium, 3pm); Polokwane City v Stellenbosch FC (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, 3pm), TS Galaxy v Magesi FC (Mbombela Stadium, 3pm); Richards Bay FC v Mamelodi Sundowns (UMhlathuze Sports Complex, 5.30pm)