Chiefs must be wary of old friend Nurkovic in Galaxy clash

Kaizer Chiefs have just four games to rescue some sort of solace from their sorry season, as they take on TS Galaxy at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Tuesday in the DStv Premiership.

Cavin Johnson’s Amakhosi are currently in eighth place in the table, just about clinging on to a spot in next season’s MTN8, but the battle for those places is likely to go right to the wire, with just four points separating Chiefs from 14th-placed Royal AM.

Any confidence boost gained by Chiefs from their 2-1 victory over SuperSport United was quickly quashed by the all-conquering Mamelodi Sundowns, who embarrassed Amakhosi 5-1 in front of their own fans last Thursday.

Chiefs badly need a response against Galaxy, who are currently five points ahead of them in fifth in the table. 

The Rockets played out a goalless draw against 4th-placed Sekhukhune United on Friday evening, to stay two points behind Dinoko, but Sead Ramovic’s side have generally had a positive second half of the campaign, winning five times in the DStv Premiership, and reaching the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals.

Amakhosi are set to go up against their former striker Samir Nurkovic, who has hit a rich vein of form in 2024, netting five times in all competitions. Nurkovic, who has ten goals in total this season, has often been used as an impact player off the bench by Ramovic, so it remains to be seen if he starts against Chiefs.

Well-rested

The Serbian marksman, however, should be well-rested after only playing the last 35 minutes or so against Sekhukhune.

Chiefs, meanwhile, will be without central defender Given Msimango. Msimango is serving the first game of a two-match suspension after being sent off against Sundowns. Mozambican defender Edmilson Dove, however, should return after serving a one-match ban.

Amakhosi head coach Cavin Johnson was also able to call on a Thatayaone Ditlhokwe for the first time since November against Sundowns, while Njabulo Ngcobo and Zitha Kwinika should also be available to take on Galaxy.

The Chiefs coach may also be tempted to recall Mduduzi Shabalala, meanwhile, after leaving the young attacking midfielder out of his starting line-up against Sundowns. The match-winner against SuperSport came off the bench to win and convert a penalty against Masandawana.