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Kaizer Chiefs are suspension free heading into title decider
The Kaizer Chiefs head coach said after the Chippa game that he had injury concerns over Kgotso Moleko and Erick Mathoho, while he will hope Khama Billiat is fresh after his stint on Wednesday.
Lebogang Manyama could well be key for Chiefs against Baroka on Saturday. Pic: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs are going into their biggest match of the season on Saturday, with a victory over Baroka FC surely enough to give them the Absa Premiership title.
And injuries aside, head coach Ernst Middendorp can at least call on a full roster of players, with none of the Amakhosi squad suspended for the final weekend of league fixtures in the 2019/20 season.
Ten players are suspended across the clubs in the top flight, but none are from Amakhosi, and none from Mamelodi Sundowns, who will take on Black Leopards in the other match that could decide who wins the league.
The easiest way for Pitso Mosimane’s side to take the crown will be if Chiefs don’t win, meaning victory would give Masandawana a third Absa Premiership title on a row.
There were a couple of injury concerns, meanwhile for Middendorp ahead of the game against Baroka.
Daniel Akpeyi is definitely out with concussion, meaning Itumeleng Khune is likely to play in goal again, and he will hope to have more match fitness after a couple of scary moments in Chiefs’ 1-0 win over Chippa United on Wdnesday.
“Kgotso Moleko is definitely a question mark,” added Middendorp after the Chippa game on the Amakhosi right back.
“And with Erick Mathoho we will have to look how he recovered. Khama (Billiat) worked his arse off … in terms of work for the team, that cost him a lot of energy too. At the moment there are three days to go, starting tomorrow (Thursday) morning we will start refreshing the team and we will see.
Lebo Manyama was also back in the Chiefs starting line-up against Chippa and immediately added some potency to their attack. He was one yellow card away from a suspension, but managed to avoid a booking and should be ready to fire against Baroka on Saturday.
“It was important not to pick up any yellow cards, so we have no suspensions. On 60-65 minutes we had to take him (Manyama) out against Chippa, that was a clear order on the medical side not to take a risk, or we would not be able to use him on the weekend,” added the Chiefs head coach.
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