Moloisane urges Kaizer Chiefs to beat Golden Arrows before FIFA break

Kaizer Chiefs defender Thabo Moloisane says the club must secure three points against Golden Arrows on Sunday and enter the FIFA break with renewed confidence.

The match will be played at Mbombela Stadium, where Chiefs are seeking a response after drawing their past two matches. Moloisane believes both games were opportunities missed and says victory is essential if the club are to remain in touch with the leading teams in the Betway Premiership.

Speaking to Chiefs media on Thursday, the former Stellenbosch FC defender said: “It’s going to be extremely important for us to get three points. We’ve played two draws in games that we should have won.

“And especially now that we’re going into the FIFA break, it will be extremely important for us to go into the FIFA break with three points and a little bit of pressure off our shoulders knowing that we’re keeping up with the pace with the teams that are on top of the league.”

The fixture also gives Chiefs an opportunity to respond to their defeat by Golden Arrows in the MTN8. Moloisane said the team felt they had lost a match they should have won and had prepared carefully for the threat posed by their opponents.

He highlighted Arrows’ use of counter-attacks and runs from deeper players behind the defensive line as areas Chiefs had been working to contain.

“Well, I think firstly what you mentioned is we were preparing well for them. We lost a game that we shouldn’t have lost. A game of a few chances, a game of minor mistakes,” Moloisane said.

“But at the same time, we know that going into this game is a team that plays with a lot of counter-attacks, a lot of third-man runs behind the defence. So it’s something that we are already preparing on, something that we are aware of.”

Although the game is being staged away from Arrows’ Durban base, Moloisane does not believe Chiefs will lack support. He said the club’s large following means the players regularly feel at home, regardless of the venue.

“For us, I don’t think it will be a disadvantage at all. One thing about us, we are always at home. It doesn’t matter where we’re playing,” he said.

“We always have our fans rallying behind us each and every match. So it’s definitely not going to be an away game for us. It’s for us to use it to our advantage.”

Chiefs will be without goalkeeper Brandon Petersen because of injury, but Moloisane said the squad remained confident in the available options.

He wished Petersen a speedy recovery and added: “We have capable guys, Bruce is there, Renaldo is there as well. So we are not panicking at all. Everyone is just as capable as the other.”