Durban City vs Kaizer Chiefs: Preview, team news, predicted lineup, time and where to watch

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Durban City vs Kaizer Chiefs: Preview, team news, predicted lineup, time and where to watch

Kaizer Chiefs will be looking to win their first league match in two months when they visit Durban City in a PSL encounter at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night.

Chiefs last won in the PSL on August 30, when they beat Golden Arrows 1-0, and since then, it has been five league games without a victory, leaving fans disappointed after they had started the season with four wins in five games.

The game against Durban City therefore adds an extra bit of pressure on the Glamour Boys who have drawn four and lost one of their last five PSL games.

Form guide

Chiefs have tasted victory just twice in their last nine matches in all competitions, both coming in the CAF Confederation Cup, and in a space of one month.

Mfundo Vilakazi against AS Simba. Photo Kaizer Chiefs

The Glamour Boys beat Kabuscorp of Angola 1-0 on September 27 in the second leg of the first preliminary round and they had to wait for one month for their next victory, last weekend’s 3-1 triumph over AS Simba of DR Congo.

Having started the season with four wins and a draw, Chiefs lost 3-1 to Sekhukhune United on September 16, losing their unbeaten run, and have gone on to record the two Confederation Cup wins, four draws and as many defeats.

In the PSL, their last three games have seen them record back-to-back 1-1 draws with Marumo Gallants and AmaZulu FC followed by a goalless stalemate with Siwelele FC.

Meanwhile, Durban City, under former Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt, have done well for a newly-promoted side as they are in 10th place with 15 points from 10 matches, just one behind Chiefs, who have played nine.

Gavin Hunt
Gavin Hunt – Picture courtesy of Durban City

They have three wins and a draw in five matches although the last two have been defeats, which adds to their motivation to perform well on Friday.

Head-to-head record

Durban City returned to the PSL this season but they have faced Chiefs a number of times with their last meeting being in March 2023 when the Glamour Boys won 3-2.

Before that, Chiefs had enjoyed an unbeaten run against them, winning four and drawing one, with Durban’s last victory over Amakhosi coming in January 2021, when they won 2-0.

Durban City midfielder Sinamandla Zondi has passed away. Photo Durban City

Team news

Chiefs added another name into the treatment room with Congolese winger Glody Lilepo getting injured against AS Simba after a knock.

“We will have to discuss with the doctor, but it was a knock which I think shouldn’t be very bad… If it’s a knock, probably one or two days with ice, I think he should be ready to go on Friday against Durban City FC,” Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze said.

If Lilepo does not pass the fitness test, then he will join Khanyisa Mayo on the sidelines as well as Ethan Chislett, Given Msimango, Miguel Inacio, Flavio Silva and Paseka Mako.

What have they said?

Brimming with confidence from their win over Simba, Chiefs star Mduduzi Shabalala is hoping that they can pick up from there and continue scoring as that has been their major letdown in the last two months.

“For us, it is critical to get a good result in this match. We have been playing well but haven’t converted our chances as we would want to,” said Shabalala.

“This is a good opportunity for us to get back on track for a good season in the league. We just need to stick with what we are doing and turn the chances we create into goals.”

Mduduzi Shabalala Kaizer Chiefs 1
Image – Kaizer Chiefs

Meanwhile, Durban City boss Gavin Hunt has ramped up the pressure on Chiefs, claiming the Glamour Boys are the favourites given their stature as well as his team’s poor run of form.

“Every game is important. Yes, Kaizer Chiefs may be unique. They are a great club, a big club, so we are looking forward to the game,” Hunt told KickOff.

“We are focused on delivering a good performance. Let's see what happens. The result will take care of itself. Kaizer Chiefs can turn things around at any moment.”

Time and where to watch

The match will kick off at 19:30 at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday and will be live on SuperSport TV.

Kaizer Chiefs predicted lineup

Petersen; Cross, Solomons, Kwinika, McCarthy; Mthethwa, Ngcobo, Sirino; Shabalala, Mmodi, Duba

<!-- Author Start -->Joel Oliver<!-- Author End -->

Joel Oliver

Author

Joel Oliver is a seasoned multimedia sports journalist with a rich background in covering diverse football stories and events in South Africa and beyond.
His extensive coverage spans subjects touching on the PSL, with a focus on the Big Three (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.

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