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Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs star midfielder, Willard Katsande, says competition between Zimbabweans at the title chasing clubs is driving the PSL race to the wire.
According to the Soccer-Laduma website, tied on 52 points with Mamelodi Sundowns although better on slight goal difference and having played one game less, Chiefs’ title defence is under severe scrutiny.
Katsande, Knowledge Musona, Matthew Rusike, Kingston Nkhatha and Zhaimu Jambo are the Zimbabweans currently fighting for Amakhosi’s course.
At Chloorkop, Esrom Nyandoro, Khama Billiat and Cuthbert Malajila are gunning to hand Sundowns their first league title since the 2006/2007 season.
Katsande told Zimbabwe’s biggest daily newspaper, The Herald, that the compatriots’ fight to outdo each other will add a competitive edge to the title push.
“It’s a big competition amongst ourselves as Zimbabweans here to see which club will walk away with the championship,” he said.
“But I also think this is good for the national team because the quality of the football in our league has continued to improve, and when you have some of the national team players involved with the big clubs in a league like ours then it will help us as a country.”
Katsande feels Chiefs have to make life easier for themselves by retaining the title through their own work. He is wary of Wits’ faint title prospects although Gavin Hunt’s side trail the leading two by eight points.
“Now that we have six games remaining, we should not expect any team to do us any favours, we just have to do everything for ourselves and we have to quickly pick up again,” he said.
“Although people are talking about Sundowns and us, I think we should not rule out Wits because they also got a lot of experienced players in their squad,” he concluded.
Chiefs’ next assignment is at home against Mpumalanga Black Aces on Wednesday.
