JOHANNESBURG – Kaizer Chiefs suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns in front of a capacity crowd at the FNB Stadium on what was billed as a potential classic encounter. The Glamour Boys, despite the promising pre-match atmosphere, failed to deliver, leaving their supporters deeply disappointed and raising serious questions about their top-four aspirations.
The match began ominously for Chiefs, with Sundowns taking a commanding lead within the opening 22 minutes. Iqraam Rayners scored a penalty in the 14th minute, swiftly followed by a second goal eight minutes later, establishing a 2-0 advantage. The Brazilians continued their dominance, extending their lead to 3-0 by half-time.
Any hopes of a Chiefs comeback in the second half were quickly dashed. Inacio Miguel, playing his first match back from suspension, received a red card in the 56th minute, leaving Chiefs a man down and severely undermining their defensive capabilities. Four minutes later, Khuliso Mudua added insult to injury, scoring Sundowns' fourth goal to seal a comprehensive victory.
The performance was a stark contrast to Chiefs' recent 2-1 loss to Sundowns, prompting questions about their ability to compete for a top-four finish, let alone challenge for the league title. While a title challenge seems unlikely this season – a battle seemingly reserved for Sundowns and Orlando Pirates – the heavy defeat leaves Chiefs facing a crucial period of self-assessment and improvement.
Following the match, Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi took responsibility for the disappointing result, offering a sincere apology to the team's passionate fanbase. Speaking to SuperSport, Nabi expressed his remorse: “I want to apologise to all the fans.
"I present my congratulations for my colleague," he also said while referring to the Sundowns team.
"I’m very sorry for this outing. From the backline, from the goal to the front, nothing that we have worked on worked today. We wanted to have reaction coming into the second half, but the red card that we got in the beginning of the second made is hard to come back but that’s how football is. I would like to finish by congratulating Mamelodi Sundowns, they had an amazing. When someone does something good we need to accept that. But we would like to apologise to our beautiful fans. We know they are waiting for a moment of joy for a long time. We will go back and work harder to give them what they are expecting from us.”
Nabi's apology reflects the gravity of the situation and his commitment to addressing the team's shortcomings. The heavy defeat will undoubtedly place immense pressure on the coaching staff to improve the team's performance and restore the confidence of the supporters.
The coming weeks will be crucial for Kaizer Chiefs as they face a challenging series of fixtures. Their immediate focus will be on regaining their form and avoiding further setbacks. Their upcoming matches include:
- Wednesday, November 27th: Kaizer Chiefs vs Richards Bay (19:30)
- Saturday, November 30th: Kaizer Chiefs vs Royal AM (17:30)
- Sunday, December 8th: Polokwane City vs Kaizer Chiefs (15:30)
- Monday, December 16th: TS Galaxy vs Kaizer Chiefs (15:30)
These matches will provide an opportunity for Chiefs to demonstrate their ability to bounce back from this significant defeat and prove their credentials as genuine contenders for a top-four finish.
