Akpeyi’s Chiefs and Chippa aim to break shackles in DStv Premiership
Daniel Akpeyi’s Kaizer Chiefs will be desperate to break their winless run in the 2021/22 DStv Premiership when they host Chippa United at FNB Stadium today.
Kick-off is at 5:30pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).
Chiefs have gone four league matches without claiming a victory, and they very nearly suffered a third defeat in the sequence in their most recent outing, with only a last-gasp penalty from Keagan Dolly salvaging a 1-1- draw at AmaZulu on 2 October.
The Amakhosi have claimed three points from two home matches this season, with their last result as hosts a 4-1 loss at the hands of Royal AM in September.
“We are back from the international break and have shifted our focus to the league and we know that the game on the weekend against Chippa is not going to be easy,” said Chiefs winger Khama Billiat in the build-up to this weekend’s match.
“It is going to be a big fight, we are just going to make sure that we stick and believe in our game plan. I feel good and I think it is time to start getting the little things right that make the difference, like scoring more goals, defending and going forward as a team and just being on top of our game.”
The match will be the first between Chiefs and Chippa since former Amakhosi boss, Gavin Hunt, took over the reins in Gqeberha.
“It is not going to be easy, especially playing against coach Gavin who used to be with us here, because he knows individual players and he is an experienced coach,” Billiat added.
“Having said that, it’s a great opportunity for us to put ourselves in a better situation and start collecting maximum points.”
Chippa, meanwhile, have gone five league matches without a win. Their last outing was a goalless stalemate at home to SuperSport United on 2 October which at least ended a run of three straight defeats.
The Chilli Boys have claimed three points from as many away matches this season, with their last result on the road a 2-1 loss at Stellenbosch FC in September.
“Pressure on my side? No, no. When you’ve been involved in as many games that I have been involved in then you don’t see it like that,” said Hunt ahead of this weekend’s tussle.
“With Chippa now we are trying to do the best we can and trying to get ourselves up the league a little bit more. We’ve let ourselves down the last couple of games, but we will have another go on Saturday.
“We haven’t taken our opportunities that we have had, and we have given the other teams too many opportunities. But the PSL is like that, you must take your chances and defend better,” he added.
In head-to-head stats, Chippa and Chiefs have met in 16 league matches since the 2012/13 season. The Amakhosi have claimed eight wins compared to six for the Chilli Boys, while two matches have been drawn.
The Soweto side has won four of their eight home league matches in the rivalry, suffering three defeats in the process.
The teams’ two league meetings last season both produced away wins: Chiefs were 1-0 victors at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in October thanks to an own goal from Gregory Damons, but Chippa were 1-0 victors at FNB Stadium in April 2021 thanks to a late strike from Bienvenu Eva Nga.
PLAYERS TO WATCH – Kaizer Chiefs
Khama Billiat: The Zimbabwean has played every minute of league football for Chiefs this season and will be eager, as he stated in the week, to appear more regularly on the score-sheet. Billiat found the back of the net in Chiefs’ most recent win back in August. Since then, the Amakhosi have only scored twice in four matches.
Daniel Akpeyi: The Nigerian shot-stopper has started Chiefs’ last two matches, having either been on the bench or excluded from the matchday squad in the first four league games of the campaign. He’s only conceded one goal and will be eager to keep a second clean sheet of the season this weekend.
Bienvenu Eva Nga
Read Also: PHOTOS: Chukwueze back in Villarreal training after injury layoff
PLAYERS TO WATCH – Chippa United
Bienvenu Eva Nga: The burly forward hasn’t been prolific in his time in South Africa thus far but has scored two goals in four matches against Chiefs. He scored a late winner for the now defunct Bidvest Wits at FNB Stadium last year and also netted the decisive goal for Chippa in this fixture last season. He will be eager to build on his scoring streak at the Soweto venue.
Rashid Watenga:The shot-stopper has been really consistent for Chippa and looks to have a really promising future ahead of him. He has kept three clean sheets in six matches for the Chilli Boys this season and will be eager to keep a struggling Chiefs at bay this Saturday.