Kaizer Chiefs have won just one Betway Premiership match since 15 August. As the international break ends, the question hanging over Amakhosi is whether coach Fernando Da Cruz is getting the best out of his new team.
A run of draws
Chiefs went into the break on a run of indifferent results. They have drawn four of their last five league games and dropped eight points in that stretch. The lone win was a 3-2 victory over Siwelele. They can’t keep dropping points at this rate.
Stellenbosch: a bogey side
Next up is Stellenbosch on Tuesday, 13 October (19:30 kick-off). Stellies have beaten Chiefs in each of the last three meetings, so supporters have reason to be nervous. One small twist: Thabo Moloisane, formerly of Stellenbosch, now plays for Chiefs.
Already crunch time?
Chiefs trail newly crowned MTN8 champions Sundowns by seven points. To stay in the title race, they can’t afford many more slips before Christmas, which makes this fixture bigger than it looks so early in the season.
Maboe’s absence
Lebohang Maboe, Chiefs’ primary playmaker, was injured in the 0-0 draw with Golden Arrows, a match where he also missed a penalty. The injury kept him out of Bafana Bafana’s AFCON qualifying wins over Guinea and Eritrea, and nobody knows how long he’ll be out. After a strong start to the season, which brought two goals and two assists in seven league games, the 32-year-old has had a rough few weeks.
The big question: can Chiefs still contest the title?
