There is a quiet air of anticipation amongst the masses of Kaizer Chiefs fans who are busy converging on the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, as they make their way into the stadium ahead of Chiefs clash with current PSL log leaders Silver Stars. Many of the Chiefs fans, who have made their way to the North West province for Wednesday evenings game, do feel that despite Chiefs loss to SuperSport United at the weekend, the Amakhosi will bounce back against Stars.

With a number of perennial title contenders the likes of Wits University, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns dropping vital points in the title race in matches that they were involved in earlier on Wednesday. Chiefs as a result are presented with the opportunity to once again to climb up the league table, and victory over Stars will propel Chiefs to within a point of the log leaders.

Kaizer Chiefs travelled to Rustenburg minus their leading goal scorer this season Shaun Bartlett who suffered a knee injury in the loss to SuperSport at the weekend, on form Siyabonga Nkosi will join Bartlett in the stands on Wednesday evening as he sits out a one match suspension.

A combination of injuries and suspensions has seen Ernst Middendorp make a hand full of changes for Wednesday game, starting in defence the Chiefs coach has replaced David Obua with Siphiwe Mkhonza. Mkhonza returns to the team after missing the SuperSport game, Mkhonza last started a game for Chiefs on the 20th December but left the field early on through injury as Chiefs triumphed over Santos.

Starting a game for the first time in more than two months is midfielder Gert Schalkwyk, the dynamic Schalkwyk comes in for the absent Siyabonga Nkosi, while the void left by Shaun Bartlett up front will be filled by David Radebe.

On the substitutes bench Chiefs have recalled Thabo Mooki who returns after sustaining a nose injury a week ago during training, along with Mooki David Mathebula gets a recall to the match day eighteen. Arthur Zwane is also promoted to a substitute’s role for the Stars clash, while Louis Agyemang has been excluded from Wednesday evening’s game, as he takes care of a thigh strain.

Line Up’s:

Silver Stars: 30. W. Sandilands, 6. W. Jackson, 5. A. Inusah, 8. S. Kgatla, 2. B. Ndlovu, 20.E. Williams, 7. S. Mathe, 18. T. Phala, 22. J. Nkalipa, 17. D. Studzinski,

14. H. Marumo

Substitutes: 99. T. Kapini, 19. S. Machabe, 15. J. Moatlhaping, 11. K. Mmotong, 7. J. Lupahla, 13. D. Ngobeni, 9. D. Masanabo

Coach: Owen Da Gama

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

33. D. Mototo, 44. S. Mkhonza, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 27. G. Sibeko,

8. T. Nengomasha, 7. K. Motaung Jnr, 31. D. Radebe

Substitutes: 16. E. Baron, 4. C. Nzama, 9. S. Djiehoua, 24. D. Mathebula, 13. D. Obua, 18. Arthur Zwane, 12. T. Mooki

Coach: Ernst Middendorp

Officials:


Referee: Ace Ncobo


Assistant 1: Reginald Motloung


Assistant 2: Yugesh Anjit


4th Official: Thabo Nkosi


Match Commissioner: Robert Pillay