As they continue to go from strength to strength in recent times, the Amakhosi have one more challenge as they round off their league campaign in 2006 with the visit of Santos on Wednesday evening.

While Chiefs are aware that Santos will be a far more tougher opponent than Maritzburg United were on Sunday, they do remain optimistic and up beat towards ending 2006 with a win Wednesday evening. Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp will be hoping for his team to draw inspiration from Sunday’s victory, and will also be looking for a repeat performance on Wednesday.

For Santos, they will be hoping that their third meeting in four league games against Soweto teams will turn out differently to their recent outings against Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows, which saw them lose 3-2, and 2-0 respectively. The Amakhosi will be looking for their fifth league victory in their sixth game and will be aiming to complete a hat trick for Soweto teams against Santos.

Overview

Santos, a team who hail from Cape Town and are traditionally seen to have a lot of support from the working class people from the football loving community of the mother city, first played in the PSL during the 1997 – 1998 season.

For a team in the top flight of South African football for such a short period of time, Santos achievements are remarkable. In 2001 they were crowned South African Cup Champions when they defeated Mamelodi Sundowns in that year's BOB Save Super Bowl Final.

Remarkably they then proceeded to be crowned PSL Champions a season later in 2001 – 2002, which was done by what was described as a fairly young and inexperienced team.

In the next two seasons, two more Cup triumphs followed: first was the BP Top Eight trophy, which they won at the start of the 2002 – 2003 season; and that was followed by victory in the inaugural ABSA Cup at the end of the 2002 – 2003 season.

Over the course of the PSL, Chiefs have for the most part dominated Santos since they first met in a PSL game back in September 1997, when Thembi Nkosi Biyela’s goal proved to be the match winner. Santos lone victory over Chiefs in the PSL was a 4-2 win at the start of December 1998. Ultimately that victory cost Chiefs the title as they eventually lost out on league honours to Mamelodi Sundowns on goal difference.

While Chiefs might not have had much to shout about in the league during the 2005 – 2006, they did produce one of their finest performances of the last campaign against Santos back in March, as a Gert Schalkwyk brace and a further strike from Patrick Mayo made sure of the points for Chiefs; the Amakhosi running out three-goals-to-one victors at Newlands on the day.

In what was possibly Chiefs finest display of one touch football and possession, it was Chiefs' dominance over his team which prompted Roger Da Sa to tip Chiefs for the title last season.

Current Form

For a team who have achieved as much as they have in recent times, Santos would not be particularly pleased with their current run of form, which has ultimately seen the Cape Town based team collect one point from their last three games.

Perhaps Santos' league form might have been affected by their recent impressive displays in the Telkom Charity Cup, which saw them narrowly lose out to eventual winners Silver Stars in a thrilling seven- goal semifinal match.

Currently languishing in mid table, Roger Da Sa will most definitely be looking for an upturn in his team’s recent fortune, but he will be aware that it won’t be easy against a resurgent Chiefs.

While Chiefs have said that Santos' current spate of bad results does not affect them, The Amakhosi will be confident of continuing with their recent success on Wednesday night, as they have gone through their last five league games unbeaten.

In addition, Chiefs have picked up thirteen points off a possible fifteen in recent times, which is their best run of results since Ernst Middendorp took over the reigns as coach at the start of last season. Current form points to Chiefs winning this one, although Ernst Middendorp has played down his teams chances in this game, saying that Santos and Maritzburg United are two completely different teams and that Santos hold a different challenge for his team.

Danger men

While Santos might not have had a good string of results in recent times, they do possess one of the league's best young players this season in the form of the attack minded midfielder Ervin Isaacs.

Isaacs who has been played under Roger Da Sa as an attacker, has found the back of the net six times for his team this season. Along with another young striker, Eleazar Rodgers, they have formed a lethal partnership up front.

Roger Da Sa does possess a number of other players capable of making a major impact in a game of this magnitude, the likes of Dipsey Selolwane and Marwan Bantam will be looking to make their mark on this game.

For Chiefs there are a number of players who are on the ascent at the moment with the front men in particular on top of their game at present. Kaizer Motaung Junior has scored four goals in his last three PSL outings and is on fire at the moment, along with Shaun Bartlett who has scored in all of his last four league outings is finding his feet. Together, as they have demonstrated, they form one of the deadlier partnerships in the league.

In addition to his front men singing the high notes, Ernst Middendorp is also in the fortunate position of having a number of his midfielders in an unforgiving mood. David Obua, Tinashe Nengomasha and Siyabonga Nkosi are all flying high at the moment.

The Chiefs coach will be hoping that this trio of players can continue being the inspiration behind, what can only be described as a meteoric rise by his team in recent months.

Kaizer Chiefs results Vs Santos since inception of the PSL in 1996 – 1997

1997 - 1998


Santos 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Biyela)


Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Lebese, Masunda) Santos 0

1998 - 1999


Santos 4 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Ndlanya, Lebese)


Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Tovey, Zwane) Santos 1

1999 – 2000


Kaizer Chiefs 3 (Lebese, Nomvete, Nauseb) Santos 1


Santos 1 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Pule)

2000 – 2001


Santos 1 (Booysens) Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Nomvete)


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Nomvete pen) Santos 1 (Mahlangu)

2001 – 2002


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Fredericks) Santos 0


Santos 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

2002 – 2003


Santos 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Moshoeu) Santos 0

2003 – 2004


Kaizer Chiefs 0 Santos 0


Santos 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

2004 – 2005


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Ngobese) Santos 0


Santos 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Mbesuma)

2005 – 2006


Kaizer Chiefs 0 Santos 0


Santos 1 (R. Scott) Kaizer Chiefs 3 (Schalkwyk x2, Mayo)

Kaizer Chiefs Vs Santos head to in the PSL since 1996 – 1997

Kaizer Chiefs Last five league results


17th December, Kaizer Chiefs 6 Maritzburg United 1


9th December, Kaizer Chiefs 1 Orlando Pirates 1


6th December, Amazulu 0 Kaizer Chiefs 2


25th November, Black Leopards 1 Kaizer Chiefs 3


11th November, Kaizer Chiefs 2 Moroka Swallows 0

Santos Last five league results


17th December, Moroka Swallows 2 Santos 0


9th December, Santos 0 Amazulu 0


6th December, Santos 2 Orlando Pirates 3


24th November, Santos 0 Bidvest Wits 0


12th November Lamontville Golden Arrows 1 Santos 1

Kaizer Chiefs Vs Santos head to had last five league games