KAIZER Chiefs’ poor home record is a cause for concern for coach Steve Komphela and his technical team.
Komphela, who has racked his brain trying to come up with answers, believes that their dismal record has to do with the size of the FNB Stadium, as Amakhosi seem to attract smaller crowds for home matches.
Away from home, however, they attract massive crowds – and boast a 100% record on the road in the Absa Premiership. Amakhosi have won two out of two matches on the road but have yet to register their first home win of the season.
They were held to a goalless draw by top-of-the-table Golden Arrows at the weekend. Only a small number of supporters turned out to watch the match, played in cold conditions. Chiefs skipper and No 1 goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was stretchered off the field with a neck injury in stoppage time.
Amakhosi’s medical team said the injury was not as serious as initially thought and that the country’s best goalkeeper would be back in time to face Baroka FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday (6pm).
As the game against Baroka is an away match, Amakhosi are set to attract a big crowd and Durban has always been their happy hunting ground.
But first Komphela welcomes the break of having no mid-week match as he awaits Khune’s recovery. The coach said: “We need to start winning. And you wish for more performances like we display away from home.
“How is it that we have all these stadiums packed with our supporters when we play away from home, but at the FNB Stadium – I don’t know if whether it’s the size or not – we don’t seem to have the same energy here.
“Last season we never lost here and a draw is not good enough here.”
