JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 04: Dumisani Zuma of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership match between Highlands Park and Kaizer Chiefs at Makhulong Stadium on August 04, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Kaizer Chiefs: No MTN8 but Amakhosi target a treble
Dumisani Zuma is confident that he can help Kaizer Chiefs win a domestic treble this season with the club missing out on continental competition and the MTN8.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 04: Dumisani Zuma of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership match between Highlands Park and Kaizer Chiefs at Makhulong Stadium on August 04, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Kaizer Chiefs will be targeting success in all three domestic competitions they are entered into in the 2019/20 campaign according to forward Dumisani Zuma.
Chiefs were made to sweat for their first victory of the season against Highlands Park on the opening weekend where Zuma was introduced early.
Twice Chiefs took the lead through Lebogang Manyama and twice Highlands Park restored parity, first through Rodney Ramagelela and then through Peter Shalulile, but Eric Mathoho found a winner in the 83rd minute.
Zuma came on at halftime for Kaizer Chiefs new signing Kaeryn Baccus who had a hand in the first goal. Zuma revealed that the switch was tactical. Coach Ernst Middendorp threw the striker into the fray to ensure Chiefs kept going forward and won the game.
The striker himself is confident that Chiefs can challenge for major honours this season and believes a domestic treble could be on the cards. Chiefs missed out on the MTN8 by virtue of a disastrous end to their PSL campaign last term that saw them finish ninth on the log. Amakhosi can only win the Telkom Knockout (League Cup), Premiership (League) and Nedbank Cup (National Cup) in their search to add to Mzansi’s biggest trophy cabinet.
“I think the first half of our last game wasn’t that great because, after scoring that goal, we were defending more rather than attacking,” Zuma explained.
“The message from the coach [at half-time] was loud and clear that I must come in and try to support the strikers, and I think it went well after that.
“It was obviously a bit tricky after conceding the second goal, but we knew we were supposed to win the game and we didn’t drop our heads.
“We stayed focused and we knew what we needed to do [in order to come back and win game].”
No MTN8 for Kaizer Chiefs no problem
The MTN8 gets underway this weekend alongside limited PSL fixtures and the first round of Caf competition.
Zuma believes that the Glamour Boys absence from the Top Eight tournament will spur them on to glory in other competition.
“It’s a bit tough [not to be competing in the MTN8] but everything happens for a reason, and there’s nothing we can do,” added the 24-year-old.
“Maybe this is the season for us to win the Telkom Knockout, Nedbank Cup and the Absa Premiership.”
Kaizer Chiefs take on Black Leopards this weekend at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, the match is a designated home game for the Amakhosi.
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