Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nabi will be without half a dozen key players for the Nedbank Cup Round of 16 clash with Chippa.
Kaizer Chiefs without several key men for Nedbank Cup R16
Yusuf Maart is the headline absentee for Chiefs who will also be minus several long and medium-term injured players.
“Unfortunately, our captain [Maart] is suspended,” Nasreddine Nabi told the media during the Nedbank Cup press conference in Sandton on Thursday.
“Ox [Sibongiseni Mthethwa] is still injured and won’t be part of the game,” he added.
He revealed George Matlou “has been training” with Dillan Solomons and Edmilson Dove. Matlou has an outside chance of being available but Solomons and Dove are short of match fitness.
“Solomons and Dove need time to play friendly matches and get themselves fit.”
Wandile Duba and Ashley Du Preez are out indefinitely.
Full list of Kaizer Chiefs absentees
- Yusuf Maart (suspended)
- Sibongiseni Mthethwa
- Wandile Duba
- Ashley Du Preez
- Edmilson Dove
- Dillan Solomons
Predicted Chiefs starting XI vs Chippa
Bvuma; Frosler, Miguel, Dortley, Ditlhokwe; Cele, Blom; Lilepo, Shabalala, Sirino; Morris.
‘Sheriff’ Miguel should captain the Glamour Boys
KwaMashu-born Thabo Cele, a recruit in the Chiefs engine room, shared Inacio Miguel’s story on Instagram and added some Portuguese flavour to his caption. “Xerife”, the word he added to the post, means sheriff in Portuguese, a language both players speak fluently. Miguel has become a mainstay in the heart of defence for Chiefs under Nasreddine Nabi, forming a partnership with 22-year-old Rushwin Dortley. Although Angolan star Miguel has served two separate suspensions, he’s also skippered Chiefs four times while Yusuf Maart wasn’t in the side. He will do so again this weekend.
Nedbank Cup offers a final chance for silverware
The Glamour Boys are 17 points off the title pace with 13 games to go, and Sundowns have a game in hand. Realistically, Nasreddine Nabi’s side will be aiming for a top-eight finish and qualification for next season’s MTN8. 2024-2025 has become another stark reminder of the gulf between Chiefs and Sundowns. The Brazilians have won the league crown for seven years running, in eight of the last nine and nine of the last 11. Orlando Pirates’ emergence this season has created flickering hope that they can be usurped, but Sundowns’ 4-1 mauling of the Buccaneers last weekend has extinguished those sparks for now. A long-term injury to key Pirates defender Thabiso Sesane makes another huge dent in their title aspirations.
Will Chiefs power their way into the quarter-finals?
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