Posted in News on Oct 23, 2007.
Sunday’s game affords Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral with the opportunity for his team to shift their attention away from all PSL activities and focus on cup glory. Chiefs and SuperSport have both been having problems in front of goal as SuperSport go into this game having drawn their last three league games, The Amakhosi too have played a number of draws and their goalless showing against Stars on Sunday is their third draw in six league games this term.
While many critics have taken the view that both teams are off their best and that Sunday’s game will not be the explosive affair that matches between these two teams have proven to be in the past, there is the school of thought that suggests the perimeters around a cup game are very different to a league game.
With both coaches looking for an avenue to lift their teams, Sundays game will be the perfect opportunity to do so. Muhsin Ertugral has made it clear that he expects victory over SuperSport and will not settle for anything less than progression to the semifinals from his team. It is a game which sees Chiefs, who have the best record in Cup Competitions in the country against the team who have in recent seasons tried to depose The Amakhosi off their throne as South Africa’s Cup Kings.
Two kingdoms with a great Cup pedigree will do battle to see who can fight on in the Telkom Knockout Cup, with the winner standing the best chance of lifting the trophy on December 1.
The History
The first meeting between Chiefs and SuperSport in a cup game (under PSL) took place just over eleven years ago in 1996 and it was United who ran home the winners as they knocked Chiefs out of the 1996 Coca Cola Cup at the second round stage.
It took Chiefs a long time in the history of the PSL before they managed to notch up Cup win number one over SuperSport, that 1996 defeat was followed up by to more SuperSport victories over Chiefs in Cup competition.
During the 1998 – 1999 season, a few days after missing out on the league title, SuperSport added to Chiefs misery by defeating them in what was then known as the BOB Save Super Bowl at the FNB Stadium in May 1999. Pollen Ndlanya got a late consolation goal for Chiefs, but it was too late as United had already done the damage and won 2-1.
SuperSport then made it three wins out of three against Chiefs as they defeated The Amakhosi by a solitary goal in the 2004 – 2005 SAA Supa8 Final, and confirmed their dominance for a brief period over Chiefs in cup competition.
The teams clashed again in the 2004 – 2005 season and Chiefs used the 2004 Coca Cola Cup Final as a turning point in their history in cup competitions against SuperSport, as a Scara Ngobese inspired Chiefs defeated United for the first time in a Cup game under the auspices of the PSL.
Collins Mbesuma got the game's only goal in Bloemfontein as a dominant Chiefs, got their just reward after losing out in the SAA Supa8 Final a few months earlier. In the following season and on their way to the ABSA Cup title, The Amakhosi rolled the then defending ABSA Cup Champions SuperSport United out of the tournament in the opening round. They did it with an emphatic 3-1 win over United, David Mathebula was the match winner for Chiefs as he came off the bench as a second half substitute to score one and set up two more goals for Louis Agyemang.
It was a case of three wins on the trot when Rotson Kilambe struck the only goal of the game in the 2006 – 2007 SAA Supa 8 Final, that victory was revenge of sorts for Chiefs as they laid to rest their 2004 SAA Supa8 Cup Final loss to SuperSport.
Look out for
Siphiwe Tshbalala remains the most potent threat for Chiefs, his ability to take on and beat defenders remains a key plus for The Amakhosi. While Chiefs might not have been scoring many goals, Tshbalala has helped create a number of openings for the front men. He will do himself a number of favors if he does not think about Sunday’s game where his hard work was forgotten when he squandered an easy goal-scoring opportunity midway through the first half.
Having made his first start to the season against Platinum Stars, David Obua will be eager to get out against SuperSport United and he will be looked upon as a pivotal figure in the Chiefs midfield. He has shown in the past that he can score goals from a number of different positions and he will be needed to be on his best on Sunday. Obua can also lay into the dead ball he needs to be given the opportunity to make the most of free kicks around the 18-yard area when they fall Chiefs way.
A lot, for United, will rest on striker Katlego Mashego finding his footing against Chiefs. While he has been somewhat far off his best this season, Gavin Hunt will rely on Mashego to find him the goals on Sunday. The 22-year-old striker who returned to SuperSport from Platinum Stars in January formed a dangerous partnership with Katlego Mphela when the teams met in a league game in January this year. The pair showed with what devastating effect they can combine when given a quarter of an inch; special attention will need to be given to Mashego and Mphela by Chiefs on Sunday.
Kaizer Chiefs Vs SuperSport United Cup Matches Since 1996
1996-1997
Coca Cola Cup 2nd Round
24th August 1996
Johannesburg Stadium, Johannesburg
Kaizer Chiefs 1 SuperSport United 2
1998 – 1999
BOB Save Super Bowl Final
29th May 1999
FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Kaizer Chiefs 1 SuperSport United 2
2004 – 2005
SAA Supa8 Final
2nd October 2004
ABSA Stadium, Durban
SuperSport United 1 Kaizer Chiefs 0
Coca Cola Cup Final
18th December 2004
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kaizer Chiefs 1 SuperSport United 0
2005 – 2006
ABSA Cup Round of 32
11th March 2005
FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Kaizer Chiefs 3 SuperSport United 1
2006 – 2007
SAA Supa8 Final
21st October 2006
ABSA Stadium, Durban
SuperSport United 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1
Chiefs Vs SuperSport United Head to head in cup competition since 1996
P | W | L | GF | GA | GD | |
| Kaizer Chiefs | 6 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| SuperSport United | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | -1 |
