OPINION: Chiefs could have done with avoiding Sundowns

In their search for a first piece of Premier Soccer League silverware since 2015, Kaizer Chiefs could probably have done without drawing Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Black Label Knockout quarterfinals.

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To be the best, you have to beat the best, goes the old cliché, but Amakhosi would no doubt still have preferred any of the other seeded sides in Sunday’s draw.

Chiefs victims of their own failure

Chiefs are, in a sense, victims of their hopelessness last season. A tenth place finish in the DStv Premiership left them out of the top seedings, even for the last eight of the Carling Knockout.

The decision to seed teams in the Carling Knockout, especially after the last 16, is questionable. It looks basically like the sponsors trying to get bigger games in the later stages of the competition. But in this instance it has backfired.

No doubt Carling Black Label would love the kind of intense atmosphere for the final of their cup competition that we experienced in the Betway Premiership clash between Sundowns and Chiefs earlier this season.

A capacity crowd at FNB Stadium saw a brilliant game that Sundowns won 2-1. Nadreddine Nabi’s side were by no means second best, and on another day could have escaped with a point.

This will no doubt give Amakhosi and their fans hope that this time they can get the better of Manqoba Mngqithi’s Masandawana.

Nabi’s Chiefs have certainly started the season looking determined to make up for so many barren years. The Tunisian’s head coach’s tactical acumen is already coming to the fore. And most of Chiefs’ new signings, especially Gaston Sirino, look like worthy additions.

Sundowns look imperious

Amakhosi’s problem is that Sundowns are starting to look as imperious as they have for many seasons now, Mngqithi’s side bouncing back from that MTN8 semifinal loss to Sellenbosch FC with six wins in a row in all competitions.

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The fact that Teboho Mokoena can still not get into the Sundowns starting line-up, aside from any underlying issues at Choorklop, speaks of a strength in depth that is simply not available to any other side in the country.

Chiefs will need to be at their absolute best in the quarterfinals. And even that may not be enough.