Home Sport Soccer Chiefs coach reckons that they can pull it off

Chiefs coach reckons that they can pull it off

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“We are doing the basics right in terms of controlling the aggressiveness. We have the potential. We have options”

COACH Ernst Middendorp predicted for the first time this season that Kaizer Chiefs are capable of holding on to their Absa Premiership lead until the end of the season.

Amakhosi are in a rich vein of form and are winning games like it is going out of fashion, having won 11 of their 13 league games so far this season and losing only one.

They have also notched up nine league victories on the trot and sit at the summit of the Premiership, having have amassed 34 points.

The Glamour Boys are 10 points clear of the second-placed SuperSport United. Chiefs thumped Bloemfontein Celtic 5-3 at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban at the weekend.

Samir Nurkovic netted a hat-trick, while Leonardo Castro contributed a brace while Ndumiso Mabena, Siphelele Luthuli and Harris Tchilimbou were on the scoresheet for Celtic.

The German coach is therefore adamant that Amakhosi are capable of ending their barren run in the league.

“We are doing the basics right in terms of controlling the aggressiveness. We have the potential. We have options,” Middendorp explained.

“We have young players who are pushing. We have guys like Lazarus Nkambole who have not been used. But as I said, the basics have to be right. Based on that we have a good chance (of going all the way and win the league).”

Chiefs haven’t won the league since 2014/15.

Last season they couldn’t even finish in the top eight as coaches Steve Komphela and Giovanni Solinas both failed to deliver the league during their tutelage.

“It was a very entertaining game. It was great to be part of this event. There was a defensive issue in the first half but we corrected it in the second half. I’m happy with the three points.

“It was more deserving because of the driven attitude that we showed,” Middendorp added.

Chiefs have an encounter with a resurgent Maritzburg United – they beat Polokwane City 1-0 away from home yesterday – in their last league game of the year at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on December 22.

“Yes, it been a year since I took over. Last season we were ninth on the log and this season we are 10 points clear on top of the table (so, obviously there’s improvement).” Middendorp concluded.

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