The breaking news story ahead of Chiefs game against SuperSport United on Saturday evening in Tshwane, is that the visitors will be without their instrumental midfield playmaker Daine Klate.

This after the twenty year old Klate was involved in a motor vehicle injury on the M1 motorway on Saturday morning, on his way to meeting up with his team mates who were gathering at a hotel in Centurion close to the capital, a spokesperson for SuperSport did say that Klate was unhurt in the accident but was advised by Doctors not to play in the game.

Even without Klate SuperSport remain a dangerous team and Ernst Middendorp will go to all lengths to ensure that his team are not complacent, as they need victory on Saturday evening to regain second spot on the league stands.

As Bidvest Wits moved above Chiefs with a win earlier on Saturday against Maritzburg United, with Silver Stars also gaining three points on Saturday as they defeated Golden Arrows by three goals to one.

The Chiefs coach has largely kept to the same starting eleven who disposed of Maritzburg United and Santos in The Amakhosi’s last two games of 2006, Ernst Middendorp has made a solitary change to his team.

He has made a switch in defence which sees Siphiwe Mkhonza making way for Patrick Mayo in the centre of defence; Mayo replaced Mkhonza as a first half substitute in Chiefs last game against Santos.

After Mkhonza had to be stretched off the field after getting being hit in the head while trying to block a shot by Santos midfielder Marwan Bantam.

Ernst Middendorp has opted to have three strikers on the substitute’s bench for Saturday’s game, as he has drafted in Serge Djiehoua, David Radebe and Louis Agyemang as back fire power.

With Shaun Bartlett and Kaizer Motuang Junior currently finding the back of the net with ease, the Chiefs coach will be hoping that his starting strikers will once again do the job and will not need to call on his substitute strikers.

Apart from being without Daine Klate SuperSport will also not have Coach Pitso Mosimane on the bench as he barred from being there by a PSL Disciplinary Committee, who ruled that the SuperSport Coach would be unable to coach his team for up to a month as punishment for unsporting behaviour.

Mosimane has been spotted sitting amongst the huge crowd gathered at Loftus, while the coach will take no part in the game SuperSport have paraded new signing George Mofokeng who recently joined United from Ajax Cape Town.

As Chiefs prepare to kick off their fixtures for 2007 they will be aiming to do so by registering their first victory of 2007, on the eve of the clubs 37th birthday which will be celebrated on Sunday.

A huge crowd has turned up on a warm summer night in the capital to add to the festivities and will be hoping to ring in Chiefs 37th birthday with a win, which would take the Amakhosi back to second spot on the league table.

Line Up’s:

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau, 6. F. McCarthy, 21. P. Mayo,

33. D. Mototo, 10. S. Nkosi, 13. D. Obua, 27. G. Sibeko, 8. T. Nengomasha,

7. K. Motaung Jnr, 17. S. Bartlett




Substitutes: 16. E. Baron, 44. S. Mkhonza, 4. C. Nzama, 20. L. Agyemang, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 9. S. Djiehoua, 31. D. Radebe




Coach: Ernst Middendorp

SuperSport United: 31. D. Onyango, 2. R. Katza, 3. J. Matola, 12. G. Mofokeng, 6. S. Gaxa, 10. A. Phiri, 11. T. Modise, 13. S. Poggenpoel, 28. S. Mahlangu, 21. K. Mashego, 22. J. Chamanga




Substitutes: 30. L. Niewenhuis, 8. R. Rantjie, 17. T. Tzabedze, 9. K. Mphela, 4. T. Mahoa, 23. S. Kaondera, 26. T. September




Coach: Thomas Madigage