Kaizer Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] coach Vela Khumalo feels they are in a good position to win the title for the first time this season following their 1-0 win over Orlando Pirates at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium on Sunday.
The victory saw Chiefs maintain their lead at the top of the DDC with 51 points with 10 games remaining and lead second place Stellenbosch by one point.
Khumalo is hopeful they will get the three points from the Chippa United match which was cancelled last month in Gqeberha after the Chilli Boys failed to book the ground for their game with Chiefs having already travelled.
" To be honest, chances are there and it is for them to lose it because if you look at it we are actually four points ahead, not one as it shows they still have to add the [three points from] Chippa game," Khumalo told Sowetan. "We are actually four points ahead of Stellenbosch and we still have to play them. For me, we just have to win our remaining games to give ourselves a chance of winning it for the first time."
Khumalo also said it says a lot about their quality in the reserve league after playing without 10 of their regulars who are with the U/17 and U/20 squads.
"It means coaches are doing their utmost best to develop proper players because if you look at it I don't think we were missing those players who are in the national team," he said. "We kept the structure, we played well, we are doing well as a development team. We know the culture and how to play football.
"It confines that we have quality, we've identified good players for each and every position. We've identified what was missing and how we want to play. This shows SA has the talent..."
Asked about players who are likely to be promoted at the end of the season, Khumalo believes there are a couple of them, but that they will wait for coach Nasreddine Nabi to give them the go-ahead.
"Look, there are a couple of them but they are not yet there and we don't want to disturb what the head coach in the first team is trying to get. As soon as he gets that right that's where we can think of taking them to the first team, but at the moment we are focusing on what we have."
Other results: Polokwane 2-1 Cape Town City, AmaZulu 2-1 Arrows, Chippa 1-9 Stellenbosch, Magesi 0-1 Galaxy, Sundowns 2-3 SuperSport, Gallants 2-1 Sekhukhune.
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Chiefs' DDC coach positive they can win title for the first time this season
Image: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] coach Vela Khumalo feels they are in a good position to win the title for the first time this season following their 1-0 win over Orlando Pirates at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium on Sunday.
The victory saw Chiefs maintain their lead at the top of the DDC with 51 points with 10 games remaining and lead second place Stellenbosch by one point.
Khumalo is hopeful they will get the three points from the Chippa United match which was cancelled last month in Gqeberha after the Chilli Boys failed to book the ground for their game with Chiefs having already travelled.
" To be honest, chances are there and it is for them to lose it because if you look at it we are actually four points ahead, not one as it shows they still have to add the [three points from] Chippa game," Khumalo told Sowetan. "We are actually four points ahead of Stellenbosch and we still have to play them. For me, we just have to win our remaining games to give ourselves a chance of winning it for the first time."
Khumalo also said it says a lot about their quality in the reserve league after playing without 10 of their regulars who are with the U/17 and U/20 squads.
"It means coaches are doing their utmost best to develop proper players because if you look at it I don't think we were missing those players who are in the national team," he said. "We kept the structure, we played well, we are doing well as a development team. We know the culture and how to play football.
"It confines that we have quality, we've identified good players for each and every position. We've identified what was missing and how we want to play. This shows SA has the talent..."
Asked about players who are likely to be promoted at the end of the season, Khumalo believes there are a couple of them, but that they will wait for coach Nasreddine Nabi to give them the go-ahead.
"Look, there are a couple of them but they are not yet there and we don't want to disturb what the head coach in the first team is trying to get. As soon as he gets that right that's where we can think of taking them to the first team, but at the moment we are focusing on what we have."
Other results: Polokwane 2-1 Cape Town City, AmaZulu 2-1 Arrows, Chippa 1-9 Stellenbosch, Magesi 0-1 Galaxy, Sundowns 2-3 SuperSport, Gallants 2-1 Sekhukhune.
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