Cape Town - As Kaizer Chiefs prepare for their club’s 53rd birthday on Saturday, coach Arthur Zwane is making sure the fans have reason to celebrate this weekend.
Zwane has done his homework and has made a list of things the players need to work on this week so that they can be triumphant against Sekhukhune United, at the FNB Stadium on Saturday night.
Chiefs provided a fitting backdrop for their supporters’ New Year’s Eve celebrations last week with a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Golden Arrows.
This time a win over Sekhukhune will set off the birthday celebrations at their FNB base in Nasrec.
“We will see where we can do better at capitalising on our opportunities and score more goals because we are making chances,” said Zwane.
“It is a game of numbers and if
we had scored a third, we would be in a better position because these things can count at the end of the season.
“We need to be more clinical in front of goal, but we are working hard at that.”
Against Arrows, Chiefs were slow out of the blocks and Arrows took advantage although they could not capitalise.
“You could see, in the first 10 minutes we were a bit sleepy,” said Zwane.
“They got that early chance but, in terms of the structure, we were okay, especially when we didn’t have possession of the ball.
“We could have been better at getting into the final third with more aggression and that gave them confidence. I always say when you play teams like Arrows, who are comfortable on the ball, once you allow them time and space, they can easily hurt you.
“We wanted to put them under pressure by setting pressing traps, not to allow them to come inside because we knew that they would try to overload, which they did on Reeve (Frosler’s) side. So we tried to counter that by moving Reeve further forward and making their wide players defend a bit.
“We still have a lot of things to work on and improve but I am aware we have just come back from a very long recess, which is unusual for this time of the season, but I like the way we responded, and I’m pleased we did not concede a goal.
“It was very satisfying to keep a clean sheet.
“We want to build on this now and keep the momentum going to keep more clean sheets.”
To ensure there will be a full house to join in the celebrations, Chiefs have slashed ticket prices to make it possible for fans to join in the anniversary celebrations.
Chiefs were founded in Phefeni, Soweto, in 1970.
They will be playing their last game of the first round of fixtures on this special day, and their first fixture for 2023.
Supporters who wish to sit in open stands will pay a reduced price of only R30 as a gift for their support over the last 53 years.
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