JOHANNESBURG - MTN8 ambassador Josta Dladla believes his former team Kaizer Chiefs could beat rivals Orlando Pirates should they polish their defence ahead of Saturday’s first leg clash of the MTN8 semi-finals (kick-off 3pm).
The old rivals will meet at the Orlando Stadium after winning their quarter finals against Maritzburg United and Cape Town City respectively.
Dladla said the Soweto Derby match is unpredictable and could be anyone’s game but we all know where his loyalty lies.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, I’m a bit scared. Chiefs can surprise a lot of people and there’s a lot of experience on the other side (Orlando Pirates). They’ve made a lot of good signings,” said the former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder.
It will be coach Joseph Zinnbauer who has been mentoring the Soweto Giants for over a year and has had multiple signings versus new coach Gavin Hunt who has numerous victories under his belt but with no new signings in his new Chiefs journey.
Dladla said he has hope in his former team but it won’t be a walk in the park for Hunt as he has to work with the current team.
“Coach Gavin Hunt has been given a chance to take over. He has to come up with his own philosophy of coaching and the players need to understand that philosophy. He did not have time to prepare plus he can’t sign any players, he had to inherit the team from somebody else. So you can understand it’s not going to be easy for him,” said Dladla.
“The good thing is he gives an opportunity to the younger players. Are they going to take the opportunity?”
WATCH: @KaizerChiefs HC @gavinhunt12 on the #MTN8 semi-final first leg encounter vs arch-rivals @orlandopirates at FNB stadium on Saturday afternoon. #WafaWafa pic.twitter.com/D6jbIF8fn1
— MTN8 Wafa Wafa! (@MTN8) October 29, 2020
On what the Glamour Boys should work on to beat the Buccaneers on Saturday, Dladla said his former team will need to refine their defence unit:
“If Kaizer Chiefs can work on their defence they’ll win this game. Their weak point has always been at the back. So I think if the back four can work together and the coach can see where the problem is and he can work on that backline, Kaizer Chiefs can go all the way.”
Xilombe Mathye