Phakaaathi - Ballz 2 the Wall

Just give Sundowns the DStv Premiership trophy now

Mamelodi Sundowns are marching towards a seventh straight DStv Premiership title, their win over SuperSport in midweek making it nine out of nine in the league this season. With no one really offering much of a challenge to Masandawana's dominance, in this week's Ballz to the Wall Podcast, Phakaaathi editor…

30 Nov 2023 26 min

Sundowns show Al Ahly who's boss

Mamelodi Sundowns made another statement that they no longer have anything to fear when it comes to taking on the best in Africa, as they beat Al Ahly 1-0 on aggregate in the African Football League (AFL) semifinals this week. Rulani Mokwena's side now have a chance to avenge last…

3 Nov 2023 25 min

Something is rotten in the state of Kaizer Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs made yet another coaching change this week as Molefi Ntseki was given his marching orders and Cavin Johnson was handed the head coach job on an interim basis. Appointing Ntseki looked like a risky decision in the first place for those making the decisions at Amakhosi, and it…

26 Oct 2023 22 min

Draws good and bad for Bafana Bafana

Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana picked up a confidence-boosting 1-1 draw with the Ivory Coast on Tuesday in Abidjan, the passion and fight contrasting with their insipid goalless draw with Swaziland on Friday, even if the result was the same. There are good draws and bad draws in the world of…

18 Oct 2023 17 min

Kaizer Chips are tasty. Kaizer Chiefs? Not so much.

Kaizer Chiefs launched their own brand of potato chips this week, coming in three different exciting flavours. Unfortunately their football right now isn't very tasty at all, with Molefi Ntseki's side slumping to a 4th DStv Premiership defeat of the season at home to Cape Town City on Tuesday. Chiefs…

4 Oct 2023 26 min

Have Kaizer Chiefs turned a corner?

Kaizer Chiefs finally picked up another victory this week, beating Sekhukhune FC 2-1 in a DStv Premiership encounter at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Wednesday. Amakhosi have been playing quite well under head coach Molefi Ntseki, without picking up results, though this has not stopped fans from pelting…

28 Sep 2023 21 min

Can Kaizer Chiefs still make the MTN8 final?

Molefi Ntseki's Kaizer Chiefs came close to beating Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their MTN8 semifinal on Saturday. Khuliso Mudau's stoppage time header, however, grabbed a 1-1 draw swung the tie the way of Rulani Mokwena's Brazilians. In this week's Ballz to the Wall Podcast, Phakaaathi editor Jonty…

6 Sep 2023 25 min

Kaizer Chiefs and the dilemma of style or substance

Kaizer Chiefs got their second win of the season, and their first of the 2022/23 DStv Premiership last weekend against AmaZulu, and while the 3-0 scoreline gave the three points a glossy feel, the performance was more about grit than glamour. Amakhosi keep talking about wanting to go back to…

30 Aug 2023 27 min

Chiefs' woes continue, Sundowns look unstoppable ... or do they?

Kaizer Chiefs continue to be about as thrilling as an all-day work meeting, Molefi Ntseki's tenure starting in poor fashion, with just one win, in the MTN8, to go with a draw and two defeats in the DStv Premiership. The latest of those defeats came at TS Galaxy last weekend,…

23 Aug 2023 30 min

Can Banyana bounce back and beat Argentina?

Banyana Banyana suffered the most agonising of defeats in their Fifa Women's World Cup opener against Sweden on Sunday, leaving their hopes of qualifying for the next round hanging in the balance. It was a superb performance from Desiree Ellis side, a tactical plan that came so close to working…

26 Jul 2023 11 min

Do Safa actually want Banyana to do well at the World Cup?

Desiree Ellis' Banyana Banyana will begin their Fifa Women's World Cup campaign on Sunday against Sweden. Banyana's tournament starts against a backdrop of bonus rows with the South African Football Association, which appeared to have been resolved, but which have simmered to the surface again. South African face a hard…

19 Jul 2023 24 min

Chiefs and Billiat - is it over and out?

Kaizer Chiefs issued a statement on their official website last Saturday about striker Khama Billiat, who is no longer their player after his contract expired on June 30. Chiefs said that there was a new contract offer on the table, but that they could not get hold of the Zimbabwean…

12 Jul 2023 21 min

Molefi Ntseki - A Kaizer Chiefs masterplan or a Kaizer Chiefs without a plan?

Kaizer Chiefs crashed their own website on Wednesday evening when they announced that Molefi Ntseki was their new head coach. The problem for Amakhosi is that it is fair to assume that most of the traffic sent Chiefs' way was fans not quite believing what they were seeing, as Chiefs…

29 Jun 2023 28 min

Are Bafana Bafana back or are we simply watching the same movie?

Bafana Bafana beat World Cup semifinalists Morocco 2-1 at FNB Stadium on Saturday, no doubt a huge confidence-booster for Hugo Broos' men ahead of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers in November and the Africa Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast in January. This was a competitive match of…

21 Jun 2023 17 min

Kaizer Chiefs chase a new coach - but what exactly is the plan?

Kaizer Chiefs have been widely linked to a new head coach in the last week or so, with Tunisian Nasreddine Nabi said to be high on the wanted list of Amakhosi management. If Chiefs do decide against keeping Arthur Zwane on for another season, it will go against the public…

14 Jun 2023 19 min

Will Pirates throw the book at assault convict Lorch?

Thembinkosi Lorch's future at Orlando Pirates and in professional football was thrown into doubt this week, when he was found guilty of assaulting his then-girlfriend Fundiswa Mathithibala in September 2020. Pirates issued a vague statement on Wednesday, saying they were waiting for Lorch to provide details on the conviction, having…

7 Jun 2023 16 min

Lorch makes history at Loftus

KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST PHAKAAATHI NEWS Phakaaathi (in Zulu phakathi means “inside”) brings you the latest local and international soccer news, player profiles, and discussions about everything and anything football-related. Phakaaathi editor Jonty Mark hosts a weekly chat with expert columnists and armchair football pros, to give you…

1 Jun 2023 18 min

Nedbank Cup Final time

KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST PHAKAAATHI NEWS Phakaaathi (in Zulu phakathi means “inside”) brings you the latest local and international soccer news, player profiles, and discussions about everything and anything football-related. Phakaaathi editor Jonty Mark hosts a weekly chat with expert columnists and armchair football pros, to give you…

25 May 2023 18 min

Sundowns edge closer to the final

KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST PHAKAAATHI NEWS Phakaaathi (in Zulu phakathi means “inside”) brings you the latest local and international soccer news, player profiles, and discussions about everything and anything football-related. Phakaaathi editor Jonty Mark hosts a weekly chat with expert columnists and armchair football pros, to give you…

18 May 2023 32 min

Pirates' heads held high, Chiefs reach for the handbook of excuses

Orlando Pirates finally got the better of Kaizer Chiefs this weekend, after a series of defeats to the old enemy, continuing an increasingly impressive debut season for the Buccaneers head coach Jose Riveiro. It is the Buccaneers who will face Sekhukhune United in the Nedbank Cup final, following their 2-1…

10 May 2023 22 min