Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi will have to make some tweaks to his midfield in the absence of the duo of Yusuf Maart and Sibongiseni Mthethwa.
Nabi guides Amakhosi against Chippa United in the Nedbank Last 32 on Saturday evening at the FNB Stadium in the absence of the two midfielders. Kick-off is 18h00.
Maart is serving suspension after picking four yellow cards, while Mthethwa is nursing a muscle injury. In the Betway Premiership fixture against Stellenbosch FC, Maart combined well with Thabo Cele in midfield.
The Maart-Cele double pivot proved effective, completely neutralising the Stellenbosch FC midfield.
Cele, a product of the KZN academy, has quickly established himself as a midfield controller. He is known to have an eye for unlocking defences with pinpoint passes. His composure on the ball and willingness to take calculated risks are complemented by his consistently sound decision-making.
WHO WILL NABI PAIR CELE WITH IN MIDFIELD?
In the absence of Yusuf Maart and Sibongiseni Mthethwa, ‘The Mayor’ could line up alongside Samkelo Zwane. This is because George Matlou missed the last game due to injury.
While Nabi confirmed that Matlou “has been training” and may want to bring him from the bench after the flashes of brilliance he has shown in recent matches.
But 23-year-old Zwane looks likely to get the nod alongside Cele. However, he will be expected to graft in midfield and complement the newly signed Cele.
In front of them, Nabi would have been impressed by Gaston Sirino’s performance against Stellies. He could start him with Mduduzi Shabalala, another option in the playmaker role.
Amakhosi have not won a trophy in almost a decade, and realistically, the Nedbank is their last hope this season.
In the Betway Premiership, they trail Mamelodi Sundowns by 17 points, with 13 games to go before the curtain comes down on the 2024/25 season. They will be hoping to make some good progress in the cup tournament.
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