It is that time of the season in the DStv Premiership where teams have it all to play for the remaining points, and today will be a battle of the wounded tigers as struggling Kaizer Chiefs will be going toe-to-toe with relegation-threatened Richards Bay FC at the King ZwelithiniStadium in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, at 3pm this afternoon.
Amakhosi are winless in their last four DStv Premiership encounters and will be more than desperate to return to winning ways, while Richards Bay will want to snatch all maximum points and edge closer to Moroka Swallows in their quest to move further up the log.
For Chiefs, it goes without saying that it has been one of the toughest and most burdensome couple of weeks, as they have not only been losing matches but
also dealt an emotional meltdown over the sudden passing of defender Luke Fleurs, who was shot and killed during a car hijacking in Johannesburg.
Fleurs was laid to rest yesterday in Cape Town, and in less than 24 hours, the players will somewhat be expected to react positively and produce a match-winning performance to bid farewell to their former teammate.
It is yet to be seen whether Amakhosi will fulfil their promise of winning and dedicating the remaining matches to the late Fleurs, and that assignment will begin today against the tricky Richards Bay outfit.
Despite the Natal Rich Boys winning their last match against Swallows, they are ill at ease after being slapped with a transfer ban by Fifa this past week.
The ban is in relation to money matters, where the KZN outfit failed to fulfil its contractual obligation involving Kenyan international Ovella Ochieng, who spent six months with the team at the start of last year.
With seven games remaining for both teams until the end of the 2023–24 premiership campaign, the Glamour Boys will be looking to cement their place inside the top eight, with the Caf Champions League spot seemingly slipping away and the league title way out of reach.
Chiefs are number eight with 30 points, while Richards Bay are in the danger zone on number 15 with 17 points after 23 games.
