By Dylan Bettencourt
- A win for Kaizer Chiefs against Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday will help Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership title race.
- Kaizer Chiefs must beat Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday to finish third and play in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.
Kaizer Chiefs face Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday.
A win for Chiefs could help Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership title race. If Pirates beat Stellenbosch on Monday, a Sundowns loss will put Pirates in control.
But the Chiefs coaches are ignoring the title fight.
“We don’t care who wins the league. It’s their problem,” Kaizer Chiefs co-head coach Khalil Ben Youssef said.
A recent 1-1 draw between Chiefs and Pirates allowed Sundowns to build a five-point lead at the top. Pirates still have a game in hand.
Chiefs are fighting to finish third to play in the CAF Confederation Cup next season. They are five points clear of fourth-placed AmaZulu with four games left.
Chiefs need to improve their form. They have picked up two points from a possible nine in their last three games. Last week, Siwelele shocked them with a 2-0 win. That loss ended a run of seven games without losing.
Mamelodi Sundowns will be a tough test. The team are in deadly form under coach Miguel Cardoso. They have won the league eight times in a row.
Sundowns last lost a league game to Chiefs more than five years ago. Since April 2021, Sundowns have won seven games against Chiefs and drawn two. Sundowns scored 18 goals in those nine matches, while Chiefs only scored four.
Chiefs played to a 0-0 draw with Sundowns in August and beat them in the Nedbank Cup semi-final last season. Chiefs have a fully fit squad and no suspensions. They are enjoying their best league season since the 2019/20 season.
Sundowns showed nerves late in their win over Polokwane City on Sunday. If Chiefs find their form, they could pull off a surprise.
Pictured above: Kaizer Chiefs will play against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday.
Image source: @KaizerChiefs
