Can Marumo go gallant all over Chiefs?

    Image: Kaizer Chiefs Twitter. 

Kaizer Chiefs are currently enjoying a run of form they could only dream about during the middle stage of the season.

They will be looking to continue with it when they host Marumo Gallants on Saturday 08 April at FNB Stadium, Gauteng. The kickoff is at 20:00.

Amakhosi have won four of their last five league matches, a run that has seen them becoming serious contenders for the Caf Champions League spot.

In those five games, Chiefs have scored nine goals, with six conceded. Although their performances have been far from polished, they have managed to do what matters most, which is grinding out positive results.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/no-chippa-formed-against-pirates-shall.html?m=1

As for Marumo, their fight against relegation continues, they are currently bottom of the log with 23 points in 24 games, but there are positives in their latest league results too!

In their last five league matches, Marumo have won two, draw two and lost once.

What should be more encouraging for them is the improvement in their goal scoring charts.

Marumo have been playing some good football this season, averaging 52% ball possession per match, but it is in the final third where they have find themselves wanting.

Their expected goals average per match is a poor 1.29, meaning they are not side that is big on creating good goal scoring opportunities.

That has translated to them averaging a hazardous 0.88 goals scored per match in the league, a poor return for a side looking to escape relegation.

But they are improving, as their last five matches have shown, and Chiefs should be weary of their threat.

What can we expect from the game?

Goals should be the order of the day on Saturday evening. Both Amakhosi and Marumo are attack minded sides, who are not that adept when it comes to the art of defending.

Although Chiefs have managed two clean sheets in their last five league matches, they have gone on to concede six goals.

Marumo too, have kept two clean sheets in five games, yet conceded seven goals.

With a lot riding on this game, goals is what we can expect.

Amakhosi though, are slightly better than Marumo when it comes to taking their chances, and that should hand them an advantage on Saturday evening. 

No Chippa formed against Pirates shall prosper!

Orlando Pirates coach, Jose Riveiro, and his star forward, Monnapule Saleng. Image: Twitter

Chippa United will host Orlando Pirates at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, on Saturday 8 April. Kickoff is at 17:30.

Both teams will be looking to come away with three points from the encounter, with Chippa trying to get away from the relegation zone, while Pirates will want to stay second on the log.

The Chillie Boys are only three points away from the automatic relegation spot.

But nothing in their recent performances suggests they have what it takes to win against Amabhakaniya, who are on a mission to qualify for the Caf Champions League.

In their last five matches, Chippa have drawn two and lost three.

The fact that they are prone to conceding goals, having conceded eight in their last five games, puts them in an awkward position, especially when facing a Pirates side that can create opportunities, and as they have shown lately, score goals.

But the worst part about Chippa, is their inability to create enough good scoring opportunities, their expected goals average per match in the league is a poor 0.78.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/mamkhize-sets-her-sights-on-improving.html?m=1

Their poor xGF average is reflected perfectly in the number of goals they have scored in their last five matches, which is just four.

Taking into consideration Chippa's poor performances in the final third, and the fact that Amabhakaniya are not a side that gives much away at the back, averaging 0.71 goals conceded per match, it is hard to see where a Chippa victory can come from in this encounter.

Numbers and current form point to a Pirates victory in this encounter, as they look to cement second spot on the log.

No Chippa formed against Pirates shall prosper. 

MaMkhize sets her sights on improving women's football.

When she bought Bloemfontein Celtic's status in 2021, she was met with a lot of skepticism. But Shauwn 'MaMkhize' Mkhize has gone about the business of proving her doubters wrong with flying colours.

Royal AM has turned out to be a competitive side worth their salt in the Dstv Premiership.

The ambitious business woman has now set her sights on making an impact in women's football, having also purchased Celtic's Hollywoodbets Super League status.

Just this past weekend, her Royal AM ladies side shocked African women's football giants, Mamelodi Sundowns ladies, beating the reigning league champions 1-0.

Speaking after the famous victory, MaMkhize highlighted her plans to bring change to the local women's game, and turn Royal AM ladies into a formidable force.

"I've always said I want to bring change, especially in football. Banyana Banyana has done so well but there's no noise about them. They brought a cup home; Bafana hasn't brought us anything. I want to bring attention to the girls and I'm going to work very hard to make sure that people start noticing them because they are there," said MaMkhize as quoted by Sabc Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/football/news/shawn-mkhize-plan-to-grow-womens-football-in-sa

On her plans for Royal AM ladies team:

"If you look at my team, I'm trying to make it a proper ladies' team. Starting from the coach, physio , and everybody. You know, we got a team manager, Siphokazi, who has just started working with us. We've got a deputy chairman, Tamia (Mpisane) she's a woman. Our coach, comes in highly qualified because we want to compete. We are not here to add numbers, we are here because we want to compete."

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/we-should-not-be-speaking-about-mabena.html?m=1

If MaMkhize's comments are anything to go by, we can only expect exciting times in women's football, she is an ambitious go-getter who knows exactly what she wants.

The fact that Royal AM are only the third Dstv Premiership side to have a women's team in the Hollywoodbets Super League speaks volumes of her ambition when it comes to making a major contribution to South African football. 

We should not be speaking about Mabena - Rulani Mokwena.

Mamelodi Sundowns 16-year-old sensation, Siyabonga Mabena. Image: Twitter

If there is one thing that Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena does well, it is giving youngsters a chance at the club, while making sure he protects them at the same time.

What Mokwena did for Mailula, who became an overnight success with the Brazilians senior team, having been promoted straight from their Dstv Diski Challenge side, is what he is doing for Downs' latest youth sensation, 16-year-old Siyabonga Mabena.

Mabena made his second appearance for Sundowns against Cape Town City on Tuesday, and Mokwena did his best to deflect journalists attention away from the youngster regarding their questions.

With the curse of the rising star prevalent in South African football, where promising youngsters easily fall by the wayside, Mokwena cannot be blamed for hiding Mabena under his wing, especially considering his tender age.

"You ask me more about Mabena and you should be asking me about 'Mshishi' [Zwane], you should be asking me about Peter Shalulile and his level of consistency for the past four to five years at Highlands Park and Sundowns," said Mokwena as quoted by Times Live. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-04-06-we-kill-these-talents-by-overhyping-them-sundowns-coach-mokwena/

"He [Shalulile] is on 98 goals and why are we not talking about Peter but talking about Mabena. We should not be speaking about Mabena because he has not done enough to be part of this press conference. 

"Focus on the people who for many years have reached a good level of performance, otherwise we kill these talents. We kill these talents by overhyping them and all of a sudden they think they have arrived.  

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/let-them-come-i-love-challenge-says.html?m=1

"It is the curse of the rising star. It sounds cliched, but it's true, and I am saying easy does it."

Let them come, I love a challenge - Says Ngezana on the imminent arrivals of Ditlhokwe and Msimango.

Kaizer Chiefs defender, Siyabonga Ngezana. Image: Twitter

Kaizer Chiefs have move swiftly to sort out their leaky defence by signing Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Given Msimango from SuperSport United and TS Galaxy respectively.

A man who should be worried about the new arrivals, Siyabonga Ngezana, is not fazed.

The Chiefs development product had a few nightmares for games this season, and was viewed as one of the weak links in the Amakhosi defence.

He has since gained a bit more confidence as the league progressed, putting on some impressive performances for his club.

With Ditlhokwe and Msimango coming highly recommended, Ngezana has welcomed the challenge, saying the new arrivals will help Amakhosi reclaim their place at the summit of South African football.

"They can bring more players, that's good for the team. We want to make sure Chiefs return to where it belongs. The history of this club is very rich, so it doesn't matter who comes in, as long as he'll help Chiefs,'' said Ngezana to the media as quoted by Sowetan Live. https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-04-06-ngezana-is-unperturbed-by-looming-competition-from-new-signings/

"I like a challenge. It has never been easy for me since I came here. There have always been better players to compete with but I am still here."

The only team that can beat Kaizer Chiefs is Kaizer Chiefs, says Ngezana:

Ngezana believes that Amakhosi's tendency to give away cheap goals has been their downfall this season.

Chiefs have a poor average of 1.13 goals conceded per game in the league so far, which has seen them letting in 27 goals, something Ngezana says they are working hard to improve.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/zwane-is-starting-to-feel-like-chiefs.html?m=1

"Giving away cheap goals has been our main problem this season. Most of the games we've lost, we lost [them] because of our own mistakes... the only team that can beat Kaizer Chiefs is Kaizer Chiefs because we've hardly been dominated but it has always been the mistakes we do that see us lose games. We are working very hard to make sure we are tight at the back, to make sure we keep clean sheets.''

Zwane is starting to feel like the Chiefs penalties and red cards story is personal.

The story of Kaizer Chiefs, penalties, and red cards this season is well documented, and their head coach, Arthur Zwane feels like it is becoming personal.

Zwane feels like the colour of his skin might have something to do with everyone on his team's back about penalties and red cards.

I don't know about the colour of Zwane's skin and penalties. Is there some kind of broad-based black empowerment thing going on? Only Mangethe knows what he meant.

Anyway, the issue here is that Zwane is tired of this old story, why would people complain about his team getting the decisions they deserve from referees?

"I clearly don’t understand it. Why don’t people look at the positives rather than focus more on the negatives?" asked Zwane as quoted by Times Live. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-04-05-is-it-the-colour-of-my-skin-chiefs-coach-zwane-on-questions-about-penalties/

"You know sometimes certain things you don’t understand. Maybe it’s because the colour of my skin.

"We played against Richards Bay early in the season in Durban and got a red card [against Chiefs] but we won 1-0. When we got a red card the score was 0-0. Why don’t people mention that."

Other teams do play against 10 man too!

"Last night [Tuesday] Mamelodi Sundowns’ opposition [Cape Town City] received a red card and with all the quality they have, they had an advantage for 18 minutes. You must have seen how City defended when they were one man down.

"When you have the advantage, people think you have already won the game. In fact it becomes more dangerous because you think you have the advantage of an extra player, but the other team double if not triple their efforts."

Should a blatant foul be ignored just because it will 'benefit' Amakhosi?

"If a goalkeeper handles the ball outside his area then what do you call it? I wouldn’t want to dwell too much on this because everyone has their own view. But if you go through all those challenges, we were playing against teams that knew they couldn’t match Kaizer Chiefs in open play.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/was-folz-undermined-at-amazulu.html?m=1

"I can count how many games where I said [before the opposition were a man down] they wouldn’t have an attempt on goal against us. 

"I understand what people are saying but I would also say they can do their own homework and maybe watch all those games and actually review them."

Was Folz undermined at AmaZulu?

Image credit: AmaZulu social media

Romain Folz as head coach of Amazulu is now history. The former Marumo Gallants failed dismally to change the club's fortunes following the sacking of Brandon Truter early in the season.

AmaZulu are currently 12th on the Dstv Premiership table, just four points above the relegation zone, not a position Sandile Zungu expected his club to be in at this stage of the season, especially after showing his trust to the 32-year-old tactician by handing him a three-year contract, despite positive results not forthcoming.

Zungu has proven himself to be a fair man, but something unfair seems to have happened inside the club's dressing room, involving senior players, that has seen Folz losing his head coaching job.

Not so long ago, a story broke in the media that Lehlohonolo Majoro, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, and Keagan Buchanan were leaving Usuthu, allegedly due to their negative influence in the dressing room.

A few days later, Majoro was said to be staying put.

And then the story got better, Folz, who was under the microscope from the football fraternity due to a streak of poor results, was redeployed to a technical advisory role to the Chairman, that is despite the Chairman himself having told the media that Folz was not going anywhere, meaning he was going to stay on as the club's head coach!

Wait for it, the story gets even better! Now Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who was all but out of the door at Usuthu, is allegedly back in the club! That is according to a report by Sabc Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/football/news/ramahlwe-mphahlele-returns-to-amazulu-following-romain-folz-redeployment

What is all with the U-turns at AmaZulu?

The happenings at the Durban side have done nothing except to raise suspicions about player power prevailing at the club.

Could it be possible that Folz, a 'young' tactician was undermined inside Usuthu's dressing room, which is full of players who are actually his seniors?

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-home-was-football-club-it-would-be.html?m=1

Or was it a case of him being so bad that the players lost all faith in him and his tactics?

Only the fly in Usuthu's dressing room wall knows the truth. And time, as it always tend to do, will reveal the truth, as we wait.