Posted in News on Oct 30, 2007.
While Chiefs hosts Free State Stars in Rustenburg, the two other teams in the final four of the Telkom KO, Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns will face off in a league game, which will take place at the same time on Wednesday evening in Bloemfontein.
Both The Amakhosi and their opponents Stars come into the game riding high on the back of Cup victories over the weekend, as Stars knocked out Cosmos from the Telkom Cup and Chiefs did the job over SuperSport United on Sunday.
For Stars it was their second successive victory over Cosmos as they defeated Jomo Sono’s men the weekend before in a league game. A win for Chiefs over third placed Stars on Wednesday will see them rise up the table and close the gap on the top teams. It will be another challenging night for Muhsin Ertugral and his team at the office as they play another of the inform teams. It won't be as easy as it was in the 2005 – 2006 season when they were promoted and then relegated at the end of the same season. Stars seem destined to stay in the top flight this time around; they will make an interesting opponent for The Amakhosi on Wednesday.
The History
Qwa Qwa Stars as they were known from the inception of the PSL in the 1996 – 1997 season, were duly beaten by The Amakhosi in the first game as the teams met under the guise of the PSL. Chiefs won 2-1 with Aaron Lubunda and Neil Tovey finding the net for them.
Chiefs have always held the upper hand in matches that they have played against the Free State Stars. At first they were called Qwa Qwa Stars and even a name change at the start of the 1999 – 2000 season to Free State Stars did not seem to help their fortunes much as Chiefs continued to dominate them. In the fourteen league meetings between the teams Chiefs have only ever lost once to Stars, which was a 1-0 defeat at home to them on the 17th May 2001.
At the start of the 2002 – 2003 season the league opted to down size and the two Stars Free State and Ria, opted to take the financial package and sold out their PSL Status and stopped operating.
Stars then began the long process of getting back into the top flight and began by reforming and fighting their way through the regional leagues, the Vodacom second division, and the Mvela golden league and won promotion back to the PSL for the 2005 – 2006 season.
In the first game when the teams met at the Phutadijaba Stadium in August 2005 the game ended in a 1-1 stale mate, it was a whole different affair when they met again that season it was also the last time Chiefs faced Stars. The game at the FNB Stadium in December 2005 ended 5-2 in favour of Chiefs. Former Stars player David Radebe struck a brace in the opening 20 minutes with further goals from Louis Agyemang, Kaizer Motaung Junior and Arthur Zwane saw Chiefs romp home.
Although Stars did manage two second half goals, it was not enough for them, there was though one Siphiwe Tshabalala who managed to get on the score sheet when he score Stars second goal in the 78th min of the match.
Look out for
With Siphiwe Tshabalala missing David Obua will in all likelihood be given a starting role on the left hand side of midfield. The Ugandan international will want to use this chance to impress the coach and will be hoping to keep his place in the team with the Telkom Cup semifinals on the horizon.
Tinashe Nengomasha a battle hardened veteran for Chiefs rose to the occasion on Sunday and had a pot shot at goal with a well taken volley. He was also asked by Muhsin Ertugral to drop further back in the second half of the game and he took up a defensive role.
He was thus able to demonstrate his usefulness in both attack and defense. Fabian McCarthy’s return would please Ertugral. The central defender has helped ensure Chiefs kept a clean sheet in their last two games against SuperSport and before that Platinum Stars. He did a fantastic job of man marking Heirapa Marumo in the Stars game and with Jonathan Quartey still injured, will again be called upon to keep the troops in check at the back.
Stars will not be looking to change much from their previous two games which saw them win against Cosmos, although prior to that they were defeated by Thanda Royal Zulu. They were on a roll before the Thanda encounter as they collected six out of a possible six points before that.
Striker Diyo Sibisi will be one to look out for. He recently beat off the challenge of Chiefs Mandla Masango and was voted as the PSL Jet Club Rookie of the month for August.
Stars have the tendency to get goals from the midfield with their last three coming from the middle men, Fhanyani Dhladlhla made a name for himself finding the back of the net against Cosmos this past weekend. In the previous game Dhladhla’s midfield compatriot Thulasizwe Mbuyane knocked Cosmos down to size, when he found a brace against them on the 20th October.
Results Kaizer Chiefs Vs Free State Stars since 1996 - 1997
1996 – 1997
Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Lubunda, Tovey) Qwa Qwa Stars 1
Qwa Qwa Stars 1 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Lebese)
1997 – 1998
Qwa Qwa Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Williams 39’ & 59’)
Kaizer Chiefs 2 Qwa Qwa Stars 0
1998 – 1999
Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Batchelor 59’, Tovey 87’) Qwa Qwa Stars 1
Qwa Qwa Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Nomvete 55’ Ndlanya 86’)
1999 – 2000
Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Mooki 40’, Nomvete 80’) Free State Stars 1
Free State Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Pule 61’)
2000 – 2001
Free State Stars 1 Kaizer Chiefs 1
Kaizer Chiefs 0 Free State Stars 1
2001 – 2002
Free State Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Jukulile 61’)
Kaizer Chiefs 0 Free State Stars 0
2006 – 2007
Free State Stars 1 Kaizer Chiefs 1 ( Moshoeu 68’)
Kaizer Chiefs 5 (Radebe 17’ & 20’ , Agyemang 26’ , Motaung 57’ and Zwane 79’) Free State Stars 2
Head to head Kaizer Chiefs Vs Free State Stars since 1996
| P | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | |
| Kaizer Chiefs | 14 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 9 | 13 |
| Free State Stars | 14 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 22 | -13 |
The last meeting
Premier Soccer League
7th December 2005
FNB Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs: 5 ( Radebe 17, 20 min, Agyemang 26 min, K. Motaung Jnr 51 min, Zwane 79 min);
Free State Stars: 2 ( Kauleza 71min, Tshabalala 78 min)
Line-ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 4. C. Nzama, 6. F. McCarthy, 44. S. Mkhonza, 33. D. Mototo, 8 T. Nengomasha (2. Tau 45min), 12. T. Mooki (25. Schalkwyk 72 min), 13. D. Obua, 18. A. Zwane, 31. D. Radebe, 20. L. Agyemang (7. K. Motaung Jnr 45min)
Substitutes: 16. E. Baron, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 21. P. Mayo, 27. G. Sibeko, 7. K. Motaung Jnr, 10. S. Chalwe, 2. J. Tau
Free State Stars: 30. S. Mashini, 14. J. Musondo, 19. C. Hachilensa, 3. C.T. Tsotetsi (17. E. Manareng 45 min), 16. S. Tshabalala, 23. S. Vilakazi, 2. S. Nkosi, 20. T. Ntabele, 24. J. Kauleza, 21. W. Mugeyi (9. Zakazaka 40 min)
Substitutes: 1. K. Mweene, 6. B. Masia, 25. T. Tsiu, 29. L. Rankualu, 17. E. Manareng, 9. J. Zakazaka, 15. M. Maseti
Cautions:
Free State Stars:
Yellow Cards: J. Kauleza 67min, C. Hanchilensa 87 min
Red Card: S. Oliver 85 min
Match Officials
Referee: B. Gqubile
Assistant 1: C. Barlow
Assistant 2: I. Abrahams
4th Official: P. Marques
Match Commissioner: G. Lobo
