With their back-to-back victories before the long mid-season break, Kaizer Chiefs raised expectations that they'll be forced to meet when the second half of the season gets underway tomorrow.
By winning those matches - against Polokwane City and Golden Arrows - Amakhosi put themselves in a good position to challenge for the league title, but they need the type of character that was shown by some of the previous generations to lift their fifth PSL title.
The late Ted Dumitru's Amakhosi outfit came back from about 10 points to beat their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates to the title in 2004/2005, while Stuart Baxter's side recovered from surrendering the title in 2013/2014 to clinch it the following campaign with a record points tally which lasted only one season.
Currently a point behind leaders SuperSport United, Steve Komphela's boys need to be consistent and make the FNB Stadium a fortress, starting with their match against Free State Stars tomorrow (7.30pm).
The fourth-placed side has dropped eight points in home matches at this venue so far and their title chances would go up in smoke if things were to continue this way.
Ea Lla Koto, with new coach Serame Letsoaka, will give Amakhosi a tough challenge, considering they are fighting relegation and desperately need points to move away from 14th place.
"It's always tough playing against Free State Stars. They recently acquired the services of coach Serame Letsoaka," Amakhosi's Siphiwe Tshabalala told Sowetan on the sidelines of the Nedbank Cup launch last week.
"I have worked with him and he is a good coach. I am anticipating a good game of football, but we will focus on ourselves.
"We finished on a high and we want to start 2017 on a high, where we left off," added the 32-year-old who is celebrating 10 years with the club after joining them from Ea Lla Koto in 2007.
One of Chiefs' major concerns in the first round of the season was their lack of fire power upfront.
However, Bernard Parker found some form late last year and they need him, along with new striker Gustavo Paez, to find the back of the net regularly to turn what has been a bumpy campaign into a smoother one.
Paez could get a chance to impress the Amakhosi supporters at home.
FIXTURES
(all 7.30pm)
Tomorrow
Chiefs v FS Stars, FNB Stadium
Wits v Ajax, Bidvest Stadium
CPT City v Highlands, Cape Town Stadium
Chippa v Baroka, Nelson Mandela Bay
Wednesday
SuperSport v Arrows, Lucas Moripe Stadium
Plat Stars v Pirates, Royal Bafokeng
Celtic v Sundowns, Dr Molemela Stadium
Polokwane v Maritzburg, Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Chiefs must carry on with trend
With their back-to-back victories before the long mid-season break, Kaizer Chiefs raised expectations that they'll be forced to meet when the second half of the season gets underway tomorrow.
By winning those matches - against Polokwane City and Golden Arrows - Amakhosi put themselves in a good position to challenge for the league title, but they need the type of character that was shown by some of the previous generations to lift their fifth PSL title.
The late Ted Dumitru's Amakhosi outfit came back from about 10 points to beat their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates to the title in 2004/2005, while Stuart Baxter's side recovered from surrendering the title in 2013/2014 to clinch it the following campaign with a record points tally which lasted only one season.
Currently a point behind leaders SuperSport United, Steve Komphela's boys need to be consistent and make the FNB Stadium a fortress, starting with their match against Free State Stars tomorrow (7.30pm).
The fourth-placed side has dropped eight points in home matches at this venue so far and their title chances would go up in smoke if things were to continue this way.
Ea Lla Koto, with new coach Serame Letsoaka, will give Amakhosi a tough challenge, considering they are fighting relegation and desperately need points to move away from 14th place.
"It's always tough playing against Free State Stars. They recently acquired the services of coach Serame Letsoaka," Amakhosi's Siphiwe Tshabalala told Sowetan on the sidelines of the Nedbank Cup launch last week.
"I have worked with him and he is a good coach. I am anticipating a good game of football, but we will focus on ourselves.
"We finished on a high and we want to start 2017 on a high, where we left off," added the 32-year-old who is celebrating 10 years with the club after joining them from Ea Lla Koto in 2007.
One of Chiefs' major concerns in the first round of the season was their lack of fire power upfront.
However, Bernard Parker found some form late last year and they need him, along with new striker Gustavo Paez, to find the back of the net regularly to turn what has been a bumpy campaign into a smoother one.
Paez could get a chance to impress the Amakhosi supporters at home.
FIXTURES
(all 7.30pm)
Tomorrow
Chiefs v FS Stars, FNB Stadium
Wits v Ajax, Bidvest Stadium
CPT City v Highlands, Cape Town Stadium
Chippa v Baroka, Nelson Mandela Bay
Wednesday
SuperSport v Arrows, Lucas Moripe Stadium
Plat Stars v Pirates, Royal Bafokeng
Celtic v Sundowns, Dr Molemela Stadium
Polokwane v Maritzburg, Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
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