Kaizer Chiefs go in search of past glories

Kaizer Chiefs’ hunt for elusive silverware goes into another season as they take aim at the Carling Knockout trophy, a competition that has been restored to the Premier Soccer League calendar this campaign after an absence of three seasons.

They are, by some distance, the record holder for wins in South Africa’s League Cup with 13. The next highest is Mamelodi Sundowns on four.

But more recently they have found it a tough competition to crack, with their last victory coming all the way back in 2010.

They have been to just one final since then, in 2015 when they lost 3-1 to Sundowns in a Pitso Mosimane masterclass, and in the previous three editions bowed out at the semifinal stage.

There have been nine editions since their last win and they have made the semis in five of those, to go with two quarterfinal losses and a two first round exits, which came back-to-back in 2011 and 2012 against Platinum Stars and BidVest Wits respectively.

This year they will tackle AmaZulu in the opening stage, a side they have met twice before in the competition in the PSL era, winning 2-0 (2010) and 3-0 (2017) for comprehensive successes.

Chiefs’ real dominant spell in the Carling Knockout was between 1997 and 2010, a run of 14 editions of which they won an impressive eight (57%). They also lost the 2002 final in that time to Jomo Cosmos.

But, like in every other competition, where once they were kings, now they find themselves largely among the also-rans, simply unable to get over the line.

The three semifinal losses in a row in their previous three appearances came against Wits (2017), most painfully Orlando Pirates (2018) and surprisingly Maritzburg United (2019), and they will hope to turn over a new leaf in the rebranded competition.

Their biggest win in the competition during the PSL era was a 4-0 quarterfinal success against Dynamos in 2004, where goals from current assistant coach Arthur Zwane, Shoes Moshoeu and a David Radebe brace gave them the win.

Zwane is, in fact, the joint top scorer in the competition for the club since 1996/97 with five goals. He holds that record alongside Knowledge Musona.

Zwane also got a goal in Chiefs’ darkest day, a 4-1 away loss to Lamontville Golden Arrows in the first round in 2008 when the late Richard Henyekane grabbed a hattrick in a brilliant win for Abafana Bes’thende.

The team Chiefs have faced in the competition the most in the PSL era is their Soweto rivals Pirates, with seven clashes of which both teams have won twice to go with three draws. The AmaKhosi have, however, won all three penalty shoot-outs against The Buccaneers.

They have met a trio of clubs six times – Wits (W3 D1 L2), Platinum Stars (W2 D1 L3) and Sundowns (W1 D4 L1). The first two now no longer part of the PSL.

In all, Chiefs have played 77 games in the League Cup since 1996/97, winning 41, drawing 20 and losing 16. They have scored 114 goals and conceded 69.

KAIZER CHIEFS RECORD IN PSL ERA
Tournament finishes
2019/20: Semifinals
2018/19: Semifinals
2017/18: Semifinals
2016/17: Quarterfinals
2015/16: Final
2014/15: Quarterfinals
2013/14: Semifinals
2012/13: First Round
2011/12: First Round
2010/11: Winners
2009/10: Winners
2008/09: First Round
2007/08: Winners
2006/07: Quarterfinals
2005/06: Quarterfinals
2004/05: Winners
2003/04: Winners
2002/03: Final
2001/02: Winners
2000/01: First Round
1999/00: First Round
1998/99: Winners
1997/98: Winners
1996/97: Quarterfinals