Embattled Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze will go into today’s Betway Premiership battle against Durban City fully aware that a loss will result in the club breaking a new negative record since the Premier Soccer League was established in 1996.
The match, which could be a make-or-break for Kaze and his co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef, will be played at the FNB Stadium, and kick-off is at 3:30pm.
Chiefs, who played some mouthwatering football at the beginning of the year, have gone on a massive decline, and are slowly falling by the wayside.
They had established themselves as one of the front-runners and were sitting comfortably on position three but results seem to be eluding them lately.
In the past six matches in all competitions, they managed a single victory, losing all five, something that has enraged the fans. The losses against perennial rivals Orlando Pirates and Richards Bay FC were the last straw. They are also out of the Nedbank Cup, meekly exited the CAF Confederation Cup and three consecutive losses in the league landed the Glamour Boys at number six on the table.
Victory for the Glamour Boys would see them leapfrog City into the top four, adding extra significance to this encounter.
So, this clash is more than just three points, it’s an opportunity for Chiefs to restore confidence, close the gap on the leading pack, and give their fans reason to believe in a strong finish.
A section of Chiefs supporters even marched to the club’s headquarters demanding the two coaches to be sacked. But Kaze was steadfast and unrelenting on Thursday at the media day: “I think there has been a lot of things said but I want to talk about football because I do not like talking about the noise coming from outside. My job is on the pitch and I will first evaluate the 18 league games we have played – let’s compare the 18 games, and to put in context and compare them to the last two season after the same number of games,” said Kaze.
“In 2023/24 after 18 games, 12 goals conceded with seven losses, 25 points, in 10th position. In 2024/25, 24 goals conceded and eight losses, ninth with 24 points. Today, four losses, 30 points.”
According to the club’s website, Amakhosi will be without Aden McCarthy and Sibongiseni Mthethwa, both suspended after picking up their fourth cautions in the previous match.
On a positive note, defender Zitha Kwinika returns to the squad after serving his one-match suspension, giving the technical team a welcome boost in defence. Several injuries continue to limit options, but the squad has enough depth and remains focused on delivering a strong performance.
