The rescheduled match kicks off at 7.30pm and not 8.15pm as originally advertised.
Chiefs had been 2-0 up against Leopards on Saturday night thanks to early goals by the in-form strike pairing of Bernard Parker and Kingston Nkhatha, before the match was abandoned after 32 minutes due to a hailstorm.
Unbeaten Amakhosi appeared set to cruise to a comfortable victory, which would have seen them retake the PSL lead from Maritzburg United.
Now the Chiefs players have to lift themselves from being denied an almost certain victory. It would not seem an easy ask, but Chiefs defender Lincoln Zvayisa believes his side are in efficient enough form to lift themselves again tonight.
“We go to the game against Leopards knowing there are no easy matches but our approach will not change,” Zvayisa said.
The Zimbabwean was given a rare start partnering Tefu Mashamaite in central defence, in the absence of Mulomowandau “Tower” Mathoho.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter said he was yet to decide whether to field the two key players tonight who missed the abandoned match, Mathoho and midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala. Tshabalala was rested having been on Bafana Bafana duty the previous week, while Mathoho was excused due to a bereavement in the family.
“We will make a decision this week but I was pleased with what I saw in the 30 minutes or so that we played and we will have to build on that,” Baxter said.
Chiefs, who have recovered from a shambolic first match of the season – a 4-1 defeat in the MTN8 against Mamelodi Sundowns – and are arguably the form side of the PSL with Wafa Wafa finalists Moroka Swallows.
They have won two of their league matches and drawn one, and Baxter has got Amakhosi well organised. Scoring was one of Amakhosi’s weak points last season after the departure of prolific Zimbabwean Knowledge Musona to the Bundesliga, and Parker especially has filled that role well for Amakhosi so far this season.
Leopards, though, appear a more confident outfit than the side that fought relegation for much of last season, and will hope to make more of their second chance against Chiefs.
Lidoda Duvha’s Raymond Monama is confident they will go back to Limpopo three points richer: “It’s a brand-new game, we are mentally and psychologically ready for Chiefs this time round.”
Its true, lightening does not strike twice in the same place!
Anyone with a ticket stub from Saturday’s abandoned match gets free entry tonight. Fans who have lost their ticket stubs will have to buy tickets.
