Chiefs defender hoping to build on another lifeline at Amakhosi

Kaizer Chiefs defender Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya is happy he has had a chance to stake a claim for a place in the Amakhosi first team again.

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A Covid-19 outbreak at the Chiefs village meant that Ntiya-Ntiya got a rare start against Sekhukhune United on Sunday, as Chiefs resumed DStv Premiership action

Amakhosi had refused to take part in their previous two matches, after a total of 36 members of staff tested positive for the coronavirus.

The 25 year-old Ntiya-Ntiya was placed on Chiefs’ transfer list at the start of this season, but made an appearance off the bench in Chiefs’ 3-1 win at Swallows on November 28, and played 83 minutes of the 2-0 win over Sekhukhune.

Having started a league game for Chiefs for the first time since August 2020, Ntiya-Ntiya will now no doubt hope for more in Sunday’s DStv Premiership clash with Royal AM.

“To start the game was a great feeling. It has been a long time since I started a league game and I am happy to have stepped in after such a long time. And to then gel with the team is a really positive thing. I feel hundred percent that I gave the team a good performance. It was good for me and for the team, because we were able to sharpen the squad,” Ntiya-Ntiya told the official Chiefs website.

“My physicality is on the right track. To play for that long after starting a game for the first time in over a year shows that. Not every player can start a game after a year and play almost 90 minutes.

“My next step from here is to get more game time … I do feel that the coaches now have a good headache, as we have all put up our hands with Sunday’s showing. We need to push each other because we are all working for the team.”