GUESS who’s back?
Yes, Kaizer Chiefs and Itumeleng Khune are back to their best form and conquering the PSL. And the man driving the Amakhosi bus is none other than Steve “Koloi” Komphela, who has now become the darling of club supporters.
Chiefs have not lost any of their last three matches, most recently teaching Maritzburg United a lesson with two goals without reply, following their 1-1 draw with Bidvest Wits and a 2-0 demolition of Cape Town City FC.
The cherry on top is that Khune produced Man of the Match performances in all three the matches.
Then there is Siphiwe “Shabba” Tshabalala, who has been driving Chiefs midfield with his silky moves that saw another star in the Amakhosi lineup, Gustavo Paez, slot in a brace against the Team of Choice midweek.
Komphela will be hoping Khune, Paez, Shabba and Wiseman Meyiwa will help him bring to an end Golden Arrows’ unbeaten league run when they meet at FNB Stadium tomorrow (8pm).
The coach said they were still finding their feet and that he expected senior players, including Willard Katsande, to step in and show the way for youngsters.
He said: “You have to see how players like Itu inspire the young ones. We also had Shabba and Paez running the whole match. It’s pleasing to see senior players step up like that. But you expect that from them – if they don’t, who will?”
Khune was the rock that blocked the way for Maritzburg’s strikers and deservedly walked way with the Man of the Match prize.
But Komphela reckons Abafana Bes’thende, who bagged full points against struggling Platinum Stars (1-0), will be a tough nut to crack. He said his charges would have to dig deep if they were to blunt the sharp Arrows, who won three matches in a row, against deteriorating Wits, AmaZulu and now Dikwena.
Said Komphela: “Arrows team are intelligent and well organised. We will have to double our efforts against them.”