Momentum: why Mamelodi Sundowns have got Kaizer Chiefs reeling on the ropes

Play it again: Hunt and Baxter clash in the
Nedbank Cup semi-finals too

CHAMPIONSHIP form is an intangible factor in the marathon of a league title race. It is the final, breathless burst which sorts the champion from the contenders in the finishing straight; it often contradicts all that has gone before.

The football-speaking world has to pay attention when Liverpool complete a lung-bursting sprint of 11 wins on the trot; just as South Africans have to sit up and pay attention when Pitso Mosimane’s Mamelodi Sundowns go on a late run of nine successive wins.

It's not over yet, the PSL title race, but with Chiefs needing a perfect finish and praying for a late Masandawana slip-up against SuperSport or Maritzburg, Pitso will be laughing this morning.

The season-long challengers suddenly look leggy (which is exactly what Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt said about Kaizer Chiefs after last night’ 0-0 draw), wearied by a season-long chase for glory: while Manchester City and Chelsea stumble, Brendan Rodgers’ reds have grasped the long-awaited bull by the horns just as Masandawana have capitalised on an AmaKhosi title defence hamstrung by a draining CAF campaign and the final stages of the Nedbank Cup.

Neither Liverpool nor Sundowns have anything else to worry about, just the titles that eluded them for so long. While Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals and Stuart Baxter’s AmaKhosi must continue the farce of a CAF Confederations Cup play-off against ASEC Mimosas (they lost the first leg 2-1 on Sunday despite a rare Matty Rusike equaliser late in the game), the new favourites have only long-awaited championship glory to bother them.

Mathematically of course, Liverpool and Sundowns have it in the bag. It’s in Anfield’s hands, with that huge clash against Chelsea to come on Sunday. At Chloorkop, with games against SuperSport United and Maritzburg to finish, full points will guarantee the title; if they draw one and Chiefs win their last three, South Africa’s top two will be level on points with goal difference the deciding factor as it was in 2011 when Orlando Pirates pipped Ajax Cape Town.

A single Teko Modise goal was enough to see off Moroka Swallows at Dobsonville on Saturday night – and Mosimane himself admits: “We should have score another one or two. It’s the same old story. 1-0; 1-0… but we get the results, we get the three points.

 “But we have to the points. We are six clear. Now let’s sit back and watch how they do.”

Exactly. Baxter accepted last night: “If our rivals can win their last two games, I’ll be the first to congratulate them. Our job is just to keep on winning, taking our chances.”

Mosimane, in a season marked by eating grass, sweating blood and weeping real tears of frustration, knows the malaise that grips South African football, a disease which has left the nation’s top scorer Bernard Parker stuck on 10 goals since February when he last score in the league against Bloemfontein Celtic. Pitso grins: “I’ll have to bring on strikers, I need goals, that’s what it will come down to.”

Goals… and momentum. Championship form. Liverpool and Sundowns are showing the elusive formula necessary to grab their respective titles. Can their rivals match it? It’s starting to feel less and less likely.

BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice.

FULL LIST OF PSL WINNERS AND POINTS TALLIES on 30-game format

2002-2003: Orlando Pirates 61, Supersport United 55

2003-2004: Kaizer Chiefs 63 (highest), Ajax Cape Town 57

2004-2005: Kaizer Chiefs 62, Orlando Pirates 60

2005-2006: Mamelodi Sundowns 57, Orlando Pirates 54

2006-2007: Mamelodi Sundowns 61, Silver Stars 51

2007-2008: SuperSport United 54 (lowest), Ajax Cape Town 52

2008-2009: SuperSport United 55, Orlando Pirates 55

2009-2010: SuperSport United 57, Mamelodi Sundowns 56

2010-2011: Orlando Pirates 60, Ajax Cape Town 60

2011-2012: Orlando Pirates 58, Moroka Swallows 56

2012-2013: Kaizer Chiefs 57, Platinum Stars 56

Squeaky bottom time in South Africa, Britain and Spain: the vital fixtures that could shape the season this weekend

Repeat performance? Stuart Baxter last season

IT'S going down to the wire. A tired footballing cliche, I know, but not one they're throwing about in Germany and Scotland right now.

While the Bundesliga and Scottish Premier were settled weeks ago, Spanish, British and South African football followers are just hitting crunch time - with three sides in the running in La Liga, the Premier League and the PSL.

South Africa's battle between Mamelodi Sundowns and champions Kaizer Chiefs could yet prove to be the closest of all, with the title decided on goal difference, as it was in 2011 when Orlando Pirates pipped Ajax Cape Town to secure their first treble.


Last night, just before Gareth Bale's sensational winner for Real Madrid in the El Clasico Copa Del Ray final against wilting Barcelona, Mzanzi's top three all cleared significant hurdles to stay in the running for the 2014 South African crown.


At Loftus, Sundowns could only carve out a 1-0 win over Clive Barker's in-form Mpumalanga Black Aces thanks to an early goal from Mozambiquan star Elias Pelembe. Afterwards Pitso Mosimane, now realistically set to become the first black South African coach to win the PSL, was far from tears.

He grinned: "I know some people will accuse me off being too defensive, but this was not a night for a second goal. Three points is all that mattered. And we've got our three points."

At the Peter Mokabe Stadium, Polokwane City - not easily beaten up north - were eventually beaten 2-0 by George. Well two Georges. First Lebese added to the two late Nedbank Cup goals he scored over the weekend, then Maluleke produced the killer goal. Talking of killers: Katlego Mphela came on for Bernard Parker, but neither lived up to their reputations.

Worse, when Knowledge Musona came on as a sub late in the game, it looked like his dodgy ankle went with his first real thrust at goal. Stuart Baxter appeared afterwards to say: "We've got to be happy with three points, it's such a schedule like nowhere else.

"I'm trying to put out a competitive squad for CAF, that's why we rotated some of the players tonight. The PSL could go down to goal difference, but what can you do? If our competitors win 7-0 for the rest of the season, I'll be the first to congratulate them!"


And quietly, Bidvest Wits produced two late goals against Moroka Swallows to secure a last-gasp 2-1 win which leaves the Clever Boys in the Hunt. Gavin Hunt that is. With one game in hand on Chiefs and two on Sundowns, his men are realistically TWO POINTS adrift in the title race and they've got to play the AmaKhosi.


With Chiefs and Sundowns level on goal difference at +22, it's the remaining fixtures which now become the subject of some debate. And the major problem? Chiefs have those two CAF Confed Cup games against Asec Mimosa (at Dobsonville on Saturday and at the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on April 27) to worry about.

And the AmaKhosi are also in to the last four of the Nedbank Cup, with Wits of all people to come on May 3.  Sundowns have neither CAF nor the Nedbank Cup to worry about after their quarter-final defeat against Orlando Pirates.


That means Masanadawana have THREE to play: Swallows away on Saturday; SuperSport United at home on April 26 and Maritzburg away on May 10.

Chiefs have FOUR to come: the big one against Wits on April 23, Amatuks away on April 26 (has to be re-scheduled because of CAF); relegation threatened Free State Stars on April 30 and Amazulu at home on the final day of the season, May 10.


Last season Chiefs won the League with 57 points. Orlando Pirates did it with 58 in 2012. Already Sundowns have 55 points. They might need 64 to confirm it. And that would be a new PSL record.


FULL LIST OF PSL WINNERS AND POINTS TALLIES

2002-2003: Orlando Pirates 61, Supersport United 55

2003-2004: Kaizer Chiefs 63 (highest), Ajax Cape Town 57

2004-2005: Kaizer Chiefs 62, Orlando Pirates 60

2005-2006: Mamelodi Sundowns 57, Orlando Pirates 54

2006-2007: Mamelodi Sundowns 61, Silver Stars 51

2007-2008: SuperSport United 54 (lowest), Ajax Cape Town 52

2008-2009: SuperSport United 55, Orlando Pirates 55

2009-2010: SuperSport United 57, Mamelodi Sundowns 56

2010-2011: Orlando Pirates 60, Ajax Cape Town 60

2011-2012: Orlando Pirates 58, Moroka Swallows 56

2012-2013: Kaizer Chiefs 57, Platinum Stars 56


Vital games in La Liga this weekend:

FRIDAY: ATLETICO MADRID v Elche 8.30pm CAT

SATURDAY: REAL MADRID v Osasuna, 8pm CAT

SUNDAY: Villarreal v BARCELONA, 9pm CAT

After last night's Copa Del Ray win, Real Madrid and Barcelona have to maintain the pace at Diego Simeone's shock troops Atleti remain a win clear in the title race. All three are expected to win this weekend, but that's what they said before Granada 1-0 Barcelona last week!


Vital games in Premier League this weekend:

SATURDAY: CHELSEA v Sunderland 6.30pm CAT

SUNDAY: Norwich v LIVERPOOL 1pm CAT

MONDAY: MANCHESTER CITY v West Brom 9pm CAT

Man City were held 2-2 by Sunderland last night, and they were lucky to bet a point at home with Samir Nasri's late equaliser vital. It's a result that further strengthens Liverpool's grip on their first EVER Premier League crown. Assuming the top three all win this weekend, it's Chelsea at Liverpool next week which will be crucial.



Vital games in PSL this weekend:

SATURDAY: SuperSport United v WITS 3pm CAT

SUNDAY: Moroka Swallows v MAMELODI SUNDOWNS 6pm CAT

With champions Kaizer Chiefs on CAF Confed Cup duty, Sundowns have the chance to move SIX points ahead at the top of the PSL - and improve their goal difference against the low-flying SwaiSwai. Victory for Wits would put them within TWO POINTS of Chiefs. Definitely still in the HUNT.

A crime of passion: why Pitso's tears are not a sign of weakness but determination

The pain of defeat: Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane

In football, what goes around comes around. Just ask Pitso Mosimane, still top of the PSL today but harshly ejected from the Nedbank Cup on Saturday.

Tomorrow night, Mosimane but shake off the tearful cup hangover and resume league action against Clive Barker's in-form Mpumalanga Black Aces while champions Kaizer Chiefs go to lowly Polokwane City.

But what exactly HAPPENED to Mosimane’s Masandawana at the weekend? They were giving Orlando Pirates hell at Loftus Versfeld, seeking a winner after coming back from an early penalty to level the quarter-final at 1-1.

And then along comes Daine Klate to curl in a free kick which miraculously bounced through defenders and offenders alike to sneak in to the corner of the Sundowns net past the otherwise faultless Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Yes, like a football in motion, like the spherical world we live in, the universal game had turned full circle. A week before, when Teko Modise’s curling, bouncing chip in to the box confounded Kaizer Chiefs and Itumeleng Khune, we were left to celebrate a glorious stroke of luck rather than a sensational winner.

It’s what happened after Klate’s goal that fascinates me.

The way I see it, Pitso came out and took it on the chin. Desperately seeking to become the first black South African to lift the PSL title out of Kaizer Chiefs’ jaws; what Mr Mosimane SHOULD have said was: “Well done Orlando Pirates, good luck in the semi-finals, we will concentrate on the league.”

What he actually said was: “Good game. I’m just disappointed because of the result, but not the game. The only substitutions I had to make were forced substitutions. The boys played well but this is football hey, you can't have it all hey?

“I'm not surprised their goalkeeper Senzo (Meyiwa) was the Man of the Match. That tells you the story of what happened here."

"I mean there is a player at Pirates, he is on the floor every minute, what is this? The next thing he shoots the ball and then it's a goal. Nah … let's have professionalism. We lost not because of that, but integrity is important, you know.

At this point Marawa prompted “Do you mean Daine Klate” but Pitso refused to name names. He added: "The foul for the free-kick, the man got injured and they called for a stretcher. The man is injured. He is the same man who is not injured who kicks the ball. I mean how many times is the player on the floor? Just watch him, just see. He gets so injured, it's unbelievable, but within a second, he plays.

"You know, other guys are playing very well, no doubt about it, a hard game, and they take it. Ha, but that player, he is too much on the floor. He must play football.

"But there is a player who is always on the floor, you touch him a little bit, he rolls like he's been shot, from the top. The next minute, he continues to play. No ... this is a man's game, let's all play. Look at Manyisa, look at Ntshumayelo, these boys are strong, they play, they are not on the floor every minute, every second .. what is this?"

Klate, never named by Mosimane, responded: “There’s no hard feelings. I’m not taking it personally. I know Pitso very well, I have a lot of respect for him, he was emotional. I focus on football, not what is said off it.”

  

Tears or fears: Mosimane

The social networks after the game were laughing over a picture which appeared to show Pitso with tears in his eyes. I came out stoutly in his defence, pointing out: “At least Pitso cares, at least he has passion.”

And there were the Orlando Pirates fans, after a hugely fortunate win, crowing over Mosimane’s discomfort. But here’s the question: Who would YOU rather have in charge: A failed Vladimir Vermezovic returning to South Africa and scrabbling for a work permit after failing with Kaizer Chiefs (where he left several people in tears), or a passionate Pitso Mosimane, achieving what even Dutch legend Johan Neeskens couldn’t manage at Chloorkop?

I know what my answer would be. I like Pitso. I admire his passion, the way he says it as he is. And if you need further evidence, just have a look at the PSL. Who’s top? Who’s SEVENTH? There’s the truth, right there.

The title remains in the balance. Tomorrow anything less than a win over Aces - with Chiefs by no means assured of picking up three points at Polokwane - will cut deep for Pitso again. Can he handle the pressure? With Steven Gerrard, Oscar Pistorius and Bubba Watson all reduced to tears over the past four days of sport, I believe he can.

BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice.

Are we witnessing the rise and fall of the Kaizer Chiefs empire? Or is it just a lack of Knowledge?

Dogged approach: Baxter and Barker

The rise and fall of the Roman Empire swept away entire civilizations and plunged the world in to centuries of despair now known as the Dark Ages. There was a real fear generations of Knowledge would simply be forgotten.

Fortunately, not many of us were around to witness that, though I'm reliably informed the Italian defenders were put to the sword, boss "Screamer" Nero fiddled and his squad burned.

The estimated 15 million AmaKhosi in South Africa may have felt they were witnessing the fall of Kaizer Chiefs last night with the same feeling of shock and awe; the emperor Stuart Baxter stood powerless in the emptying Calabash while his champions simply fell apart against the invaders from the north, led by a tiny terror known as The Dog.


Quite how Mpumalanga Black Aces managed to sack the Chiefs empire I'm not sure. Supersub Miguel Timm's late winner was simply a ridiculous coup de grace on a night of abysmal failure.


While Itumeleng Khune celebrated his 200th game in goal sitting on a deckchair, his strike-force were simply absent. Kingston Nkatha, not the most popular of gladiators from our northern neighbors, was replaced by the former killer Katlego Mphela. He was rubbish. Matthew Rusike flattered to deceive, George Lebese didn't even flatter.


The big men who normally do manage to score simply couldn't. With Eric Mouth of the Lion Mathoho again mysteriously missing from the centre-back pairing, it was left to Morgan Gould and Tefu Mashamaite to fail from the usually reliable set-pieces though Simphiwe Shabalala's delivery remained impeccable.


And with an alaraming lack of Knowledge Musona, top scorer Bernard Parker - obviously suffering from that long-standing ankle injury - missed the chance of the night before returning to his cloak of invisibility.


Unbeaten at home since Baxter's arrival in 2012, Chiefs have now lost successive Soccer City encounters with equal levels of bemusement. As Baxter groaned last night: "At worst we should have drawn both these games 0-0, instead we have managed to lose them both."


The delightfully unlucky 1-0 defeat against  Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday was followed by the late sucker punch from Clive Barker's men and Itumeleng Khune was left with little to celebrate in his 200th game for Chiefs.


Barker? All smiles: "Wonderful, Marvellous." The little man even claims his Aces - who purchased a world record 35 players this season - could have been title contenders had they had a few more weeks of preparation. Remember Aces could have - should have - had a penalty too in the first half as Willard "Assault and Vinegar" Katsande clattered the dangerous Ndoro.


Down the road in Tshwane, it was so different. Pitso Mosimane, the all-conquering rival with Patrice Motsepe's billions behind him, led Mamelodi Sundowns to the top of the table with a streaky 1-0 win over Bloemfontein Celtic.


Now three points clear of Kaizer Chiefs, who have a game in hand, Pitso is ready to sack Soweto. So too is Gavin Hunt after a sneaky late win over Platinum Stars from his Clever Boys. it's getting tight. Here's what Pitso said:

"Times are tough, you can see how strong Celtic are. In my opinion they played better than us. But at this point in time it is about getting results. It's not about playing pretty football.

"We must stay humble, there is a long way to go. We will see what we can do in the cup this weekend [against Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals]."

Chiefs too go to Nedbank Cup action - on Saturday against SuperSport United - and then we return to the PSL where Sundowns must face THE DOG on Wednesday while Chiefs go to Polokwane City. Wits are home to flightless Moroka Swallows.

Unlike the fall of the Roman Empire. This one's not over. Yet.

BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice.

ZOMBIE STOPPER VIDEO! This is the Oscar Pistorius footage Barry Roux didn't want you to see today

This is the Oscar Pistorius "Zombie Stopper" video Barry Roux doesn't want you to see in the Oscar trial today. As I write, Justice Masipa is still deciding on whether this footage can be shown in court.

It aired on Sky News on February 28. Here he can be seen shooting melons with Springbok rugby star Francois Hougaard, the Blue Bulls back who was also a close friend of the deceased Reeva Steenkamp.

The words: "It's a lot softer than a brain but it's like a zombie stopper" can be heard. Not suprisingly, defence advocate Roux wants to stop prosecutor Gerrie Nel showing this footage after a fierce start to his cross-examination.

Roux argues this video is an "ambush" on the part of the state and never formed part of their case but Nel says Oscar, having denied all knowledge of "zombie stoppers" asked to see the video.

Ultimately, Roux agreed to the court viewing this video as long as it didn't set a precedent. Nel immediately tore in to Pistorius, comparing Reeva's shattered skull with the water melon's being exploded. Oscar immediately broke down in tears as he was told to look at a photograph of Reeva's head wound... and he was told to take "take responsibility". Within minutes, Justice Masipa had called an adjournment.

The Zombie Killer ploy, an ambush without question, may have turned this trial.

Why football's a funny old game... but for Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns are no laughing matter

Khune Konfounded: Sundowns' freak goal

AS Stuart Baxter found out yet again on Saturday night, football is a funny old game. But as we’ve been saying for a few weeks now, Pitso Mosimane can no longer be considered funny.

The axed Bafana Bafana coach’s bizarre but vital win over champions and once-runaway leaders Kaizer Chiefs at Soccer City – Baxter’s first home league defeat in nearly two seasons – was met by disbelief in many quarters, but not by Pitso as his side moved level on 52 points at the top.

Though their dramatic 1-0 victory – based on a Teko Modise chip that should never have entered any respectable net – was met by utter self-belief by Mosimane as he strives to become the first black South African coach to win the PSL.

Though they started strongly, Masandawana were on the back foot for most of the game as Willard Katsande and Reneilwe Letsholonyane denied Modise and the highly-paid Sundowners the time and space to create anything meaningful to threaten a clean-sheeted return for the great Itumeleng Khune.

At the sharp end, with Knowledge Musona injured, Chiefs were on top while Bernard Parker was doing his version of the invisible man and Kingston Nkatha continued to test the patience of bamboozled AmaKhosi fans, who turned up in numbers for what was billed “The Title Decider”.

But Pitso saw none of this. In his mind, this win – welcomed by neutrals as it opens up the title race with six games to play – was justified, right, earned. And when you consider Bernard Parker’s free-kick in the reverse fixture, I guess he’s right.

Pitso said: “Let's be honest, it was a one-goal game. We got it. We earned it. We are sweating for it. Why can't we go to FNB and get respect?

"The guys are there, they fight, they work very hard. And I told you that whoever wins it is never, never gonna get it on a silver platter.

"But let's be honest, it's only three points, it doesn't mean anything. You can't win tonight and then you go to Bloemfontein Celtic and you don't concentrate.”

Pitso had little mercy on a vanquished foe with a right to feel slightly aggrieve. He added: "If you keep Shabba quiet, you are okay. Katsande can have the ball, he's not so much of a harm. You deal with the Zimbabwean striker (Nkatha).

"Ja, we are lucky that Knowledge was not here. So it's okay, you can let Morgan (Gould) have the ball, you know where he's gonna kick it. So it's there, there's nothing new.

"We are doing what we have to do. We will go game by game. We absorb the pressure, and we are good."

Baxter was utterly bemused. He said: "I look at the game and if there's any satisfaction it's that it takes a freak goal to beat us at FNB. But that's scant comfort at the moment.

“You talk about luck, skill, good play by the opposition. The top teams don't usually bitch about that, they usually go on to score a goal in any case."

But perhaps this final stanza from Pitso: "I'd rather be Kaizer Chiefs than Sundowns at this point in time. They've got the games, they've got the points, and they've got a game in hand.”

"It's only bragging rights, we're still behind.”

Only just Pitso. Only just.

BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice.

Kaizer Chiefs are over the 50-point mark. But how many do the PSL champions REALLY NEED?

Flash back: Kaizer Chiefs won the title with 57 points last season

KAIZER CHIEFS! 52 points! Woohoo! It's all over! Hold on you AmaKhosi millions. Don't count your chickens. Not with Mamelodi Sundowns coming to Soccer City on Saturday.  

Sure, Chiefs condemned doomed Golden Arrows to a sixth successive defeat at Soccer City last night as Stuart Baxter's champions crashed through the 50-point barrier at the top of the PSL.

Mulomowandau "Mouth of the Lion" Mathoho and Kingston "No more boos" Nkhatha got the second half goals to secure victory on a night when arch-rivals Orlando Pirates slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Clive Barker's Mpumalanga Blacks Aces.

And this morning, all is sunshine in the AmaKhosi world. Without wishing to cloud the perfect image, I had a little look back this morning to regain my balance. Remember August 2012? When Johan Neeskens and his Sundowns went 4-0 up against Baxter's new-fangled Chiefs in the opening MTN8 encounter of the season?

Baxter said: "I see SuperSport United have lost this evening and they've just come back from Africa, a similar schedule to us. It's not easy.

"But I think my boys deserve a pat on the back. These games aren't easy, you just does win to order.

“Our possession was too complicated in the first half and we weren’t playing with the right sort of balance in the team, and I thought when we put that right at half time more chances came, and when the first goal came I thought it was going to be pretty safe."

My favourite defensive midfielder in all the world, Willard Katsande grabbed the Man of the Match award YET AGAIN and said: "The coach has always told me how I should try to improve my game, I'm here to give balance to the team when we go forward, and when we go back.

"I've been been sticking to that, playing the long and short balls. I just stick to Stuart's way."

Ah, Stuart's way. It didn't look so good on August 5, 2012. We were all on Baxter's back then, after that 4-1 collapse against Neeskens. Scroll forward 18 months and the Dutchman is long gone and Baxter is defending both the PSL title and the Nedbank Cup after a uniquely successful first season in charge.

Everything's changed since those bad old days. Baxter has NEVER lost a home PSL game since, he's polished diamonds like Katsande, Nkatha and Mathoho. And his injured goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune looks set to return to action on Saturday after a month on the sidelines.

But with 52 points, can he relax? Can the AmaKhosi begin to celebrate? Hardly, here's the full list of title-winning points tallies (and runners-up) since the PSL went to 30 games a season and a 16-team league in 2002-3.

2002-2003: Orlando Pirates 61, Supersport United 55

2003-2004: Kaizer Chiefs 63 (highest), Ajax Cape Town 57

2004-2005: Kaizer Chiefs 62, Orlando Pirates 60

2005-2006: Mamelodi Sundowns 57, Orlando Pirates 54

2006-2007: Mamelodi Sundowns 61, Silver Stars 51

2007-2008: SuperSport United 54 (lowest), Ajax Cape Town 52

2008-2009: SuperSport United 55, Orlando Pirates 55

2009-2010: SuperSport United 57, Mamelodi Sundowns 56

2010-2011: Orlando Pirates 60, Ajax Cape Town 60

2011-2012: Orlando Pirates 58, Moroka Swallows 56

2012-2013: Kaizer Chiefs 57, Platinum Stars 56

In previous seasons, a win for Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday against Sundowns would have meant a title-clinching 55 points (SuperSport 2008 and 2009) but in truth, 60 looks to be the minimum requirement this season. That's the most the runners-up have achieved since 200-2003. And with seven games to go, another eight points is hardly Mission Impossible.

BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice.2012-2013: Kaizer Chiefs 57 points, Platinum Stars 56 

Out of Africa: the only way is UP for the Kaizer Chiefs African dream. Or is it OUT?

Unsavoury scenes: Chiefs surround referee Shikongo at Soccer City

PERHAPS the most telling quote on a painful Saturday night for South African football was THIS from Stuart Baxter: "My biggest regret is that, when the world sees officiating like they tonight, they laugh at Africa.”

He’s right. The 60-year-old from Wolverhampton has had a wide and varied career, ranging from Scotland to Scandinavia, Australia to Spain. And he’s rarely seen anything like he saw at Soccer City, where Kaizer Chiefs fell one goal short of reversing their 3-0 defeat against AS Vita in Kinshasa the week before.

And then of course we had Chiefs talking about withdrawing from CAF completely amid fears of a three-match ban from future African competition. Plus THIS quote (among others on Robert Marawa's MetroFM football show) from General Manager Bobby Motaung last night: "If you win against African teams away, you might be killed or not leave the Stadium."

To be honest, it's bad, but not that bad. But you get the drift of what Bobby is trying to say. Still, Chiefs chose to join the other seven Champions League rejects for this morning's April Fool's CAF Confederations Cup draw and will (presumably) play Ivory Coast's ASEC Mimosa in the play-off round for the group stages later this foolish month.

ASEC Mimosa were famously dispatched by Orlando Pirates on their run to African Champions in 1996, but they won the African Champions League in 1998 and have won the Ivorian championship 24 times, the last in 2010.

Had Chiefs pulled out - as they threatened to do for a few difficult hours on Monday - South African football would have been back in the doldrums after Orlando Pirates' epic journey to last season's final. But you can understand the thinking in the Motaung family corridors. As it is, they may well field a reserve team for the tie nobody is sure they really want to win.

So what went wrong with the Chiefs African dream? We can discuss the lack of AmaKhosi fans at the stadium on Saturday, the lack of atmosphere compared to their trip north the week before, the injuries to goalkeepers Itumeleng Khune and Reyaad Pieterse and the ankle problem picked up by striker Knowledge Musona.

But in essence, this was about the Namibian referee. Though Knowledge got the 10^th-minute goal Chiefs so urgently required, Rainhola Shikongo saw fit to deny the home side an even bigger advantage when he ruled out Kingston Nkatha’s 4^th minute goal with a dubious offsides decision.

Shikongo went on to deny two clear penalties – one an obvious handball, the other a shove in the box on Matthew Rusike – and despite a half-time lecture on time-wasting from AmaKhosi assistant boss Doc Khumalo, the referee consistently refused to rush goalkeeper Nguemba Lomboto who broke the six-second rule by handling the ball for 12 seconds or more at times.

Then there was the issue of injury time. With Morgan Gould finally producing the second goal in the dying minutes, Baxter was promised seven minutes of injury time. He said: “We were told seven minutes of optional time, then they said three. And when it got tight at the end, the referee only gave us 90 seconds.

“It’s hard enough playing in the African Champions League, but playing with an official like that makes it very difficult indeed. We were a better side than them, we know that.

“But what can I do? I have to say congratulations to AS Vita, good luck to them, I hope they do well in the Group Stages.”

Unlike Baxter, the Chiefs players chose to take out their frustrations on referee Shikongo, berating him verbally at the final whistle and coming close to a shoving match as officials rushed to intervene. A pitch invader or three added to the mayhem and Baxter groaned: “Our fans are behaving recklessly at the moment. But you can understand their frustration. It is frustrating when you see officiating like we’ve seen tonight.   

"The keeper was an embarrassment. Sometimes he took 15-16 seconds on the ball, it just got worse and worse.

“We get the second goal, hope the ref is counting the seconds the keeper took, but three minutes was a smack in the face. And we didn’t even get that.”

There is no question CAF competitions have a reputation for poor refereeing and dodgy away trips. Throughout the continent season-long unbeaten home records occur with a worrying frequency.

We had clues last season of course. Orlando Pirates’ problems at another DRC club TP Mazembe last season – a trip which included a television black-out, journalist detentions, confiscated sim cards, two penalties and an unjust red card – should have resulted in a lengthy ban for the Lubumbashi club. It didn’t. TP Mazembe were fined and went on to reach the final of the Confederations Cup with barely a blush of embarrassment.

For Baxter, the defence of AmaKhosi’s PSL crown now becomes the priority, along with a Nedbank Cup quarter-final against SuperSport United. You have to wonder how hard they will work to stay in the CAF Confederations Cup after all this.

The good news? Pieterse, who banged his head against a post making a save on Saturday, should be fit for tonight’s clash with rock-bottom Golden Arrows, and Khune should return for next weekend’s top-of-the-table clash against Mamelodi Sundowns.

The bad news? I understand Bernard Parker has been playing for some weeks with a heavily strapped ankle. Musona also has an ankle problem, picked up in the first half on Saturday.

With Sundowns, now level on points at the top of the PSL, to come on Saturday, Chiefs could find their season collapsing around them before the trip to the Mimosas. Baxter knows the mantra though: “Now we have to pick ourselves up and carry on with our season. We have to take this defeat on the nose.”

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