Chiefs to restore the ‘natural order’

Kaizer Chiefs enter this weekend’s South African Airways Supa 8 final against Supersport United looking to re-establish a tradition and, at the same time, overcome a hoodoo.

Since the reinstatement of this competition in the 2000/01 season after a four-year absence, no reigning league champion has managed to add the Top 8 to the trophy cabinet — something that used to happen regularly.

In order to achieve this double, though, Amakhosi will have to slay their nemesis, Supersport United, in Durban on Saturday.

The Pretoria-based team beat Chiefs the last time the two met in a cup final, an insipid 2-1 victory in the 1999 Bob Save Super Bowl.

Supersport were also the opposition in a match that many see as the start of a serious decline for the Glamour Boys. It was in December 2001 in a league game, where Chiefs led 2-0 only to have Jabu Pule sent off and eventually lose 3-2.

Moreover, during coach Pitso Mosimane’s reign at Supersport United, the best result Chiefs have achieved against them is a draw. 

Even en route to ending their 12-year title drought last season, two of the three defeats suffered were at the hands of their hoodoo team.

There can be no better occasion to demonstrate that Supersport’s stranglehold is well and truly shaken off than on Saturday in front of a capacity crowd of 55 000 spectators — most of them dressed in the black and gold colours of Kaizer Chiefs.

If pride were not enough of a spur, there’s the little matter of a trophy and R1,3-million for the winners by way of inducement.

Mosimane’s main motivation will be that he wants to win his first ever trophy as the head coach of a team.

Kaizer Chiefs got to the final by skinning Black Leopards 2-1 before plucking the feathers of Moroka Swallows 1-0 two weeks ago in the semifinal in Durban. That affair, just like this weekend, was a sold out occasion, proving that soccer is alive and well in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Pretoria side’s progression has been somewhat more nerve-wracking. Supersport United reached the final throughpenalty shoot-outs — first against Santos (5-3) and then against Wits University (6-5).

In both instances, Matsantsantsa a ko Pitori came from a goal down to force the shoot-out.

On Saturday, if the game stretches into extra time and then a penalty shoot-out, Supersport United will thus feel the more confident. Chiefs will be well aware of the need to wrap up matters during regulation time.

Mosimane attributes this mental fortitude to their continental campaign, where they have been playing in the African Champions League.

Chiefs have failed in two recent tournaments that went to a penalty shoot-out — first the Vodacom Challenge and then the charity cup.

Supersport public relations manager David Skosana said: ‘There will be no mercy. We have been waiting for this occasion and Chiefs will not have an excuse when we beat them.” 

His Amakhosi counterpart Putco Mafani said: ‘History has little space in cup finals and anything can happen. We have prepared for any eventuality emotionally, physically and mentally for Saturday’s game.”

The Pretoria side will be banking on Daniel Matsau and veteran Manuel ‘Tico Tico” Bucaune to deliver them their fifth trophy since their formation. Bucaune played in a cup final against Chiefs while at Cosmos — and defeated them. 

Captain Ricardo Katza will lead Supersport’s defence, while Siboniso Gaxa is likely to be given the role of man-marking Chiefs striker Collins Mbesuma. Any lapse of concentration could prove costly — as Mohammed Ouseb of Moroka Swallows found out in the semifinal, when he failed in the task of marking one of the deadliest strikers in the league this season.

If Mbesuma is tethered, Chiefs can still rely on the experienced John ‘Shoes” Moshoeu to score goals and defender Fabian McCarthy has proved that not only is he a good defender but he can put the ball in the net at the other end, too.

It will be in the middle of the field where the game will be won or lost, though, and Kaizer Chiefs have the right ammunition in that department with the likes of Scara Ngobese, Arthur Zwane, Thabo Mooki and Tenashe Nengomashe likely to dominate.

The top goalscorer so far in the tournament is Mbesuma, with three to his credit, and Chiefs will be looking to him to restore what they see as the natural order of things.