Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has said that the Absa Premiership title race is far from over despite the league’s best team on paper‚ Mamelodi Sundowns‚ finding form and establishing a solid lead.

Contributing to Sundowns’ threatening position at the top‚ earned through five victories from the Pretoria giants’ last six games‚ has been the sluggishness of most of the rest of the front runners.

Downs have 25 points from 12 games‚ and two games in hand over second-placed Orlando Pirates (20 points from 14 games) and third-placed Chiefs (19 from 14).

And Pirates‚ with one win from nine games‚ and Chiefs‚ with two from nine‚ have been far from fluent.

But Komphela‚ of course not willing to concede the race is in any way showing signs of being settled just before the halfway stage‚ flatly said this week the title chase is far from over.

“If you had asked the same question when they had gone through a patch where they were not winning‚ would you have said Sundowns were relegation candidates. No‚” Chiefs’ coach said.

“And the same should apply now in terms of looking at it in a positive light. It’s still a long way to go.”

Despite Komphela’s assertion‚ Downs do look in a strong position to recapture the title they conceded to Bidvest Wits last season.

The champions’ astonishing last-placed current position removes arguably the second-strongest team from the equation.

SuperSport United‚ with games to catch up from having reached the Caf Confederation Cup final‚ in 11th place with 15 points from nine games‚ are perhaps best positioned to mount a challenge on Downs.

But Downs’ form means the pressure is on Matsatsantsa to maximise the points they can gain from their games in hand.

Bloemfontein Celtic‚ quietly and consistently nestled at fourth place on 19 points from 12 games‚ and who meet Downs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday‚ should also not be ruled out.