New defence, new leaky problem for Chiefs

Despite ploughing more money during the off-season to reinforce their defence, Kaizer Chiefs remain the only PSL team without a clean sheet, having conceded the most goals than any other team in the Betway Premiership this term.

Signing players like Bafana Bafana international, Rushwin Dortley; Inacio Miguel, who's capped five times by Angola; Rwanda's No1 Fiacre Ntwari; and Bradley Cross, a former Newcastle United Under-21 player, among others, meant Chiefs invested in defence more than any other department for the 2024/25 season.

Even so, Amakhosi have conceded 12 goals from eight league games. They are the only team to have conceded in every league game they've played so far.

Retired Chiefs defender Nhlanhla Kubeka still sees no need for the defence to be reshuffled, urging the players to fix this by talking about it among themselves without relying on the coaches. "Changing the back-four can be even more disastrous now because these players starting to know each other well. Starting a new combination will bring about more confusion among the players. The players must sit down among themselves and find the solutions,'' he said yesterday.

While keeper Ntwari started Chiefs' first five league games, conceding seven goals, Brandon Petersen has started the last three league outings, leaking five goals. Petersen was installed in goals after Ntwari returned with an injury from Rwanda's Afcon qualifier against Nigeria last month.

Dortley and Miguel have been new coach Nasreddine Nabi's preferred central defensive pairing, with the former starting all Chiefs' games so far, while the Angolan missed three games through suspension.

Given Msimango has stepped up to partner with Dortley in Miguel's absence but that never stopped Chiefs from conceding as his stopgap central defensive pairing with the Bafana international, Dortley, leaked five goals.

Botswana skipper Thatayaone Ditlhokwe looks to be fourth in the central defence pecking order, having played just 64 minutes in the league so far, while another centre-back Zitha Kwinika is yet to taste action under Nabi.

Cross has also started all Chiefs' games at left-back this season. In essence, this means, except for Reeve Frosler, Chiefs' regular back-five is made up of newcomers. Frosler's back-up Dillan Solomons is injured, forcing midfielder Njabulo Blom to play right-back as the latter is still serving a suspension.

Cross's reserve at left-back Happy Mashiane has played only 32 minutes in the league, while another left-back Bongani Sam is yet to play.

Premiership clean sheets thus far 

SuperSport (six clean sheets from 10 games)

Pirates & Stellenbosch (five from eight games each)

Sundowns & Sekhukhune (four from eight games each)

Chippa & Royal (four from nine games each)

Polokwane (four from 10 games)

Arrows, Magesi & CPT City ( three from eight games each)

Richards Bay (three in 10 games)

Marumo (two from eight games)

Galaxy (one from eight games)

AmaZulu (one from seven games)

Chiefs (0 from eight games)

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