Durban — Kaizer Chiefs conclude 2021 with a home clash against Maritzburg United at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
Chiefs enter the game sixth in the standings but a win can potentially lift them to second place in the log.
Chiefs defender Austin Dube believes that his side can down the Team of Choice if they play according to their strengths.
“We are doing all we can to prepare for the match. In away games, you have to adapt to certain conditions you’re not familiar with. But we have been doing well at home and playing at home we have that advantage. I believe if we stick to our own plan and not focus too much on what they (Maritzburg) do, but focus on what we do well and rectify our mistakes from the last game, we can do anything,” Dube said.
Chiefs enter the game on the back of a frustrating 1-0 loss to Royal AM. They are not helped by the fact that the games that they did not turn up for earlier in December (against Cape Town City and SuperSport United) will count as losses after the PSL decided against rescheduling the games.
However, they have been playing a positive brand of football in recent times. Prior to the Royal AM loss, Chiefs won two successive games against Sekhukhune United and Swallows.
Dube believes that his side played a positive brand of football against Royal AM with their lack of finesse in the final third letting them down on the day.
“We did our best, we just didn’t get the result. We’re disappointed, but we really tried. We did our best”
"If we created more chances and converted the chances we created, that would have been the turning point. They had a penalty and a chance that hit the crossbar, but apart from that we played very well and didn’t give them many opportunities,” he said.
Realistically, it is unlikely that Mamelodi Sundowns can be usurped to the league title this season. The reigning league champions fell to their first league defeat of the campaign after falling 1-0 against AmaZulu on Monday. However, they still maintain a 16 point advantage over second place Orlando Pirates.
Realistically, Kaizer Chiefs can aim to target a second place finish this season.
"We have momentum and I think our defending has improved a lot. I’ve been doing well too in my view, but there’s still lots of room for improvement. Every game I want to improve more and more and do even better and be a better player. There’s always space for improvement” said Dube.
IOL Sport