Chiefs look to bounce back from heavy defeat

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Apr 13, 2018. 12:30

Kaizer Chiefs will look to bounce back from a heavy Absa Premiership defeat when they host Platinum Stars at FNB Stadium on 15 April 2018, kick-off at 15h00.

Chiefs suffered a surprise 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Chippa United on April 7, meaning they have won just one of their last five league games (taking five points from a possible 15) to effectively fall out of title contention.

The Amakhosi have claimed just 16 points from 13 home matches this season, with their last win as hosts coming against Cape Town City (1-0) in mid-February.

Stars claimed their first win of 2018 – and broke a drought of 10 league matches – by beating Polokwane City 2-0 at home on April 7. It was just their fourth three-pointer of the entire campaign.

Dikwena have claimed 11 points from 13 away matches this season, while their last five games on the road have brought one draw and four defeats.

In head-to-head stats, Stars and Chiefs have met in 29 league matches since 2003/04. The Amakhosi have claimed 11 wins compared to seven for Dikwena, while 11 matches have been drawn. The Soweto side has claimed four wins from 14 home matches against their Rustenburg counterparts, suffering three defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season, Chiefs claimed a 1-0 win in Rustenburg in December 2017, thanks to a second-half goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala. It was the Amakhosi’s first league win over Dikwena since 2014.

Chiefs’ line-up from their 3-0 loss to Chippa on April 7: Khune, Mphahlele (Jayiya 14’ [Zuma 62’]), Cardoso, Mathoho, Hadebe (Parker 46’), Zulu, Ekstein, Katsande, Tshabalala, Moon, Castro.

Stars’ line-up from their 2-0 win over Polokwane on April 7: Chigova, Ravhuhali, Sikhosana, Tshilo, Seabi, Manaka, J. Maluleke, Phiri (Mngomezulu 88’), Miya (Ndou 57’), Musona (Tlolane 75’), Ramagalela.