Golden Arrows coach Mabhuti Khenyeza shouts orders from the sidelines Mabhuti Khenyeza says taking on Kaizer Chiefs is just another game. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Golden Arrows coach Mabhuti Khenyeza has poured cold water over his team’s highly-anticipated clash against Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs.
The two teams will battle it out in a Premiership clash at the Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale on Saturday looking to claim three vital points.
Abafana Besthende have been the surprise packages of season, almost ghosting themselves into an unexpected Caf Champions League spot.
Arrows also booked themselves a place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Knockout last time out, as they beat a high-quality Cape Town City outfit.
Khenyeza’s players have lost just a single game in all competitions this season, which was a heavy
4-0 hammering at the hands of defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, the Durban-based outfit have won seven, drawn two and lost one of their opening 10 games of the campaign, an impressive feat for a team that missed out on a top-eight spot last season.
Next on their agenda is the visit of a Chiefs side currently in disarray after the sacking of coach Molefi Ntseki earlier this week, with Cavin Johnson taking over the reins on an interim basis.
Khenyeza, however, has waved away any suggestions that Arrows might need to tap into a different zone mentally to prepare for a match against the popular Chiefs.
“I’m not aware of the game we’re about to play counting for six points, because everyone keeps saying it’s a big game – so maybe we can get six points from just this game,” Khenyeza said.
“To me, this is just another game. They’re not going to get any special treatment in comparison to other teams.
“All the games are the same to us, so we do things the same way every game.”
Encounters between these two teams have often been entertaining and unpredictable in recent years, with Arrows edging their much-favoured counterparts statistically.
Arrows have won three and lost two of their last five battles against Chiefs, with the last match between the two producing five goals as Arrows walked away 3-2 winners.
Since the beginning of the season, Arrows have also survived the departure of long servant Vusumuzi Vilakazi, who is now with Chippa United.
Khenyeza was also quizzed on the secret behind his team’s upturn in form.
The 41-year-old pointed to the bond between the coaches and players as the main reason behind their good form.
“I think we’ve been working together for quite a while now, so it’s very easy to co-ordinate how much effort the players put in, as well as their discipline,” he said.
“Another factor is their relationship with the coaches.
They understand that a lot of it rests on their shoulders in terms of responsibility, and we’re just here to guide them – that’s it.”