No relief, just focus as Chiefs prepare for Sundowns

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Cavin Johnson says there is no time for Amakhosi to be breathing any sighs of relief, with another DStv Premiership game against Mamelodi Sundowns just around the corner.

Amakhosi moved back into the top eight in the DStv Premiership with a 2-1 win over SuperSport United on Saturday, which was just their second victory of 2024. Chiefs still face a titanic battle to qualify for next season’s MTN8, in what is quite a log jam in the table.

There are just six points currently separating Cape Town City in sixth place, and Royal AM in 13^th.

“I don’t think anyone should be relieved,” said Johnson, after Mduduzi Shabalala’s second half winner had lifted the spirits.

“There are still five games left to go. Maybe if it was the other way round, if we had just had five wins, and drawn, we would be upset. But we have just turned a bit of a corner. We must prepare ourselves better for the next game.”

‘We were able to match those things’

Johnson did praise the attitude shown by his team against SuperSport in what has been a difficult moment for the club. Not only have they been struggling for results, Chiefs have also had to deal with the tragic murder of central defender Luke Fleurs, killed in a hijacking in Johannesburg on April 3.

“Personality wise, team wise, yes (I am happy),” said Johnson.

“With the mentality of my players, the effort of my players against a team that normally breaks you down mentally, playing a coach (Gavin Hunt) who is astute in how he sets up his team. Playing against them is (playing against) a misture of technique and mental strength and physical attributes. We were able to match those things in a lot of moments.”