/ 19 February 2009

Chiefs ready for AmaZulu

Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral is taking no chances when Amakhosi travel to Durban's Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday to play AmaZulu.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral is taking no chances when Amakhosi travel to Durban’s Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday to play AmaZulu in a crunch Absa Premiership clash. Kick-off is at 3.30pm.

Said Ertugral: ”There is no such thing as an easy game in this league. Just look at what Bloemfontein Celtic did to Moroka Swallows and that shows that this season any side is vulnerable.”

Celtic smashed the high-flying Birds 4-1 at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Wednesday to ease their relegation fears and end the Birds’ five-match unbeaten record.

Ertugral’s Amakhosi were beaten 2-1 by Swallows two weeks ago, and last weekend Chiefs edged out Celtic at the Super Stadium by the same score.

Said the Chiefs coach: ”That Celtic win over Swallows shows how good our victory over Celtic was.”

Ertugral has plenty or respect for AmaZulu, who are coached by veteran Clive Barker. Said Ertugral: ”AmaZulu are unpredictable. But they cannot be taken lightly. We will not make that mistake. I will make sure my players are in the right frame of mind and, although I am not worried about playing AmaZulu, they are not going to be an easy side to overcome at home. They will try to make it tough for us.”

Barker said his goal was to finish in the top eight at the end of the season. Ertugral agreed and said: ”AmaZulu are certainly good enough to make the top eight. They have a decent side.”

Chiefs could be without their new star striker, Abia Nale, who was injured against Celtic. Although Chiefs have depth, losing a player of Nale’s quality is not easy to overcome.

But, in Kaizer Motaung Jnr and Venezuelan international striker Jose Torrealba, Chiefs have a lethal attack.

But Barker’s boys have two of the league’s leading goal scorers in the form of Dumisani Ngwenya and young Brad Ritson, whom Barker rates as the find of the season. Ngwenya has scored seven and Ritson six goals.

But the in-form Motaung Jnr is the key to Chiefs’ success. Barker is aware that he is the player who could destroy his side by his appetite for goals and hard work. Motaung Jnr has scored four goals in five games since his return from a six-month lay-off from injury. The Chiefs striker is certainly making up for lost time and is almost single-handedly spearheading Chiefs’ title challenge.

In Sunday’s other fixture, Bay United will be trying to ease their relegation fears and end second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns’ five match winning streak when they meet at East London’s Absa Stadium (3.30pm). — Sapa