Kaizer Chiefs are confident that they can bag all three points against Siwelele in their Betway Premiership clash on Wednesday night (7.30pm kick-off), although they know the Bloemfontein-based side will be tough hosts.
Chiefs are relishing a seven-game unbeaten run. They won five games in a row and drew the last two, including against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Given the fact that Chiefs went into the Soweto derby as underdogs, were on the back of a 3-0 embarrassment in the reverse fixture, and sustained a pre-match brawl which resulted in them cutting short their warm-ups, the point was precious.
However, they can’t dwell on the past. They need to bounce back to winning ways and get points against Siwelele at Free State Stadium.
The trip to the City of Roses will be a special one for Chiefs defender Aden McCarthy, and that’s why he’s motivated to help Amakhosi secure three points and keep their top-three aspirations alive.
“Playing in Bloem is not extra special, but it’s sort of sentimental to me because it’s where my father (Fabian McCarthy) started playing,” McCarthy said. “I am looking forward to that, and confident (that we’ll win).”
A Chiefs win could also see them surpass the 50-point tally for the first time since they finished second with 59 points during the 2019/20 season under coach Ernst Middendorp.
McCarthy is not naive, though, thinking that Siwelele will be there for the taking. They are also desperate for three points to ensure safety and make a late push for the top eight. They are currently 11th on the log with 29 points, six behind eighth-placed Golden Arrows, who have played one game more.
“Siwelele is a good team. They managed to draw with Pirates, so we shouldn’t underestimate their individual performers. Going into the rest of the season, we just need to do the most as a team and make sure that we get three points in each and every game,” McCarthy explained.
With games coming thick and fast, players are enduring many challenges, taking knocks physically and emotionally. As such, during the goalless draw with Polokwane City, McCarthy felt uncomfortable and had to be substituted.
“In the other game, I had stiffness in my left hamstring. It was a precautionary move to be substituted and not an injury,” McCarthy added. “So, that was to be sure that I am fit and ready to play in the derby.”
McCarthy has been integral to Chiefs’ recent resurgence. As such, there were recent reports that he was rewarded with a contract extension by the club.
Should he continue delivering eye-catching performances, it might not be long before he becomes an Amakhosi legend, following in the footsteps of his father.
With left-footed defenders in the country also rare, his rise and maturity could attract the attention of the Bafana Bafana coach, possibly after the World Cup, as coach Hugo Broos has likely finalised his squad.
