Bafana Bafana’s early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) might not be what Kaizer Chiefs hoped for.
Amakhosi’s rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, had a total of 13 players in the Bafana AFCON squad. With the Glamour Boys still in the hunt for the league title, they would have hoped for the national team to go all the way and reach the final.
This would have meant that both Downs and Pirates would have played their league matches without their key players later this month.
Kaizer Chiefs did not have any players in the Bafana team, meaning the coaches have had time to regroup and prepare for the second half of the season. Amakhosi are four points behind Pirates and will need to win all their January league matches to have a sniff.
Anything less could see them drift further from the title chase.
What Kaizer Chiefs will suffer from Bafana’s AFCON exit
Both Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs will be competing in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, respectively, later this month.
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates, who are no longer in the Champions League, will enjoy more rest and play fewer matches than their rivals.
With nearly three weeks of rest until their next match against Sekhukhune, Orlando Pirates will be sharp and eager for continued success. Abdeslam Ouaddou’s team has already won two trophies and is on track for a historic treble.
Kaizer Chiefs may have rested for an entire six weeks due to their players not featuring for Bafana but that won’t make a difference given the three-week break eight Bucs players will have.
Players like Evidence Makgopa, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Oswin Appollis are likely to excel in the second half of the season, thanks to their experience gained during AFCON.