Siyethemba Sithebe believes Kaizer Chiefs can beat SuperSport on Saturday. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/Backpagepix
It’s been another trophyless season for Kaizer Chiefs, but they still have continental football to fight for, as they take on SuperSport United on Saturday in their penultimate match of the DStv Premiership.
Amakhosi are six points behind second-placed Orlando Pirates, and with a goal-difference (+1) way behind that of the Buccaneers (+15), Chiefs’ chance to play in the Caf Champions League next season is surely gone.
There is still, however, the opportunity to finish third, and qualify for next season’s Caf Confederation Cup if they can beat the current incumbents, Matsatsantsa, at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng.
Amakhosi have the chance to close the gap to SuperSport to just one point, with one game left to play, and this is what Chiefs midfielder Siyethemba Sithebe believes they must now focus on, after their last chance of silverware was ended by Pirates last weekend in the Nedbank Cup semifinals.
“(It was) a game we were disappointed to lose but we gave our best,” Sithebe told the official Chiefs website on that 2-1 defeat after extra time.
“Over the 120 minutes we made a few mistakes, but I am happy that we performed as a team,”
“Coming to SuperSport, I think we need to keep focus because anything can happen. It’s still possible to get third position and, as players, it is important to have that motivation and our mindset needs to be positive.”
“All I can say is we know SuperSport and how they play. We need to be prepared for the long balls they play, and I think all our preparations are going well. The coach told us, ‘We can’t lose to Supersport, no matter what and with all our preparation.’”
Gavin Hunt’s SuperSport need just a point to wrap up continental football next season, and still have a shot at second place, sitting just two points behind Pirates heading into their final two games.
Hunt said at a SuperSport media day this week that he believes SuperSport could have done even better, had they brought in all the signings they wanted.
“If we had got one or two in that we wanted to get, it would have been much better,” said the SuperSport coach.
“Guys like Tyson (Thulani Hlatshwao), (Siphesihle) Ndlovu, Grant (Margeman) they came in and did a hell of a job for us, it took a bit of time to settle, but it’s ok. I don’t know where we will end up, but … we will take it game by game.”