The rivalry between SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs is one that spans the length of the PSL. Over the past decade Super Sport have picked up the tag as Chiefs hoodoo team, having over the past few years given many Chiefs coaches sleepless nights.

Chiefs did turn things around last season with a crucial away victory which ultimately saw Chiefs through to a second successive PSL title in 2004-2005.

In Cup games the going has not been easy for Chiefs over the past ten years - in four Cup games against Super Sport The Amakhosi have been able to garner one victory, which was in last season tightly contested Coca Cola Cup Final.

Victory in last seasons Cup Final was followed up by that incredible win against United at Loftus in Chiefs

penultimate game of the season and has hopefully signaled a reversal in fortunes for Chiefs Cup run against United.

Prior to the 2004 Coca Cola Cup Final United had been raving about their Cup record against Chiefs and at the time Amakhosi team manager Bobby Motaung mentioned that records are there to be broken.

Sentiments been echoed by Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp ahead of this weekends clash “ I don’t think that one should read too much into our past Cup games against United. We should look ahead to this game differently as the perimeters have changed and we are probably better prepared being aware of the historical element in this encounter”.

If one delves into the history book and casts their mind back to the 1996 Coca Cola Challenge knock-out stage when a Marc Batchelor brace put paid to Chiefs Cup ambitions as the Amakhosi lost by two goals to one.

Three years later in May 1999, things were no different as SuperSport defeated Chiefs by the same score line to hold aloft the BOB Save Super Bowl trophy - this was the start of a week in which Chiefs also lost out to Mamelodi Sundowns in the league race.

United then made it a hat trick of victories over Chiefs in cup competitions in September 2004 when they defeated the Amakhosi in the SAA Supa 8 Final in Durban, in a game that Chiefs dominated and were unable to turn any of their many chances into the back of the net.

All was not lost as a ‘man of the match’ performance by Scara Ngobese inspired Chiefs to victory over United in the Final of the 2004 Coca Cola in Bloemfontein Celtic. Collins Mbesuma scored the goal that gave Chiefs their first victory in a cup match against SuperSport as well as their third Coca Cola Cup title.

Victory for Chiefs will have wider ramifications than just mere progression into the round of sixteen; it will also go a long way towards lifting the Amakhosi’s confidence ahead of their final league game of the season which will be against SuperSport.

The game is scheduled for the 13th May and the result of which could decide who the

2005-2006 league champions are - although Chiefs would like the title warmly gift wrapped before the winter chill sets in.

Cup results between Chiefs and Super Sport United

1996 Coca Cola Cup Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Lebese) Super Sport United 2 (Batchelor x 2)

1998-1999 BOB Save Super Bowl Final Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Ndlanya pen) Super Sport United 2 (Madigage, Salmon)

2004 SAA Supa 8 Final Super Sport United 1 (Evans) Kaizer Chiefs 0

2004 Coca Cola Cup Final Super Sport United 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Mbesuma)