Kaizer Chiefs will make their fourth consecutive appearance in the MTN8 semifinals when they square up with Ajax Cape Town in the first leg of their last four clash at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday evening. (Kick off is at 19h30)

Eliminated at this stage in the last two seasons losing on aggregate in 2009 – 2010 ironically to Ajax Cape Town and last season to Orlando Pirates Chiefs will be looking to go one better this time around and reach a 19th final in this competition.

Unlike in their previous two campaigns where they were the away team the Amakhosi are at home this time around in the first leg and will be aiming to take a commanding lead with them to Cape Town for the return leg, in addition they will be looking to finish off with a clean sheet in order to avoid giving Ajax the luxury of an away goal.

The History

Chiefs and Ajax’s inaugural meeting in a Cup competition was in this very same tournament when it was still known as the BP Top Eight way back at the start of the 2000/2001 season. Ajax came out trumps on that occasion winning the game 3-0, since than the teams have clashed eight more times in Cup competition. Presently they are deadlocked at four wins each with one draw being the second leg of their 2009 – 2010 MTN8 Semifinal which finished at 3-3.

Two of Chiefs three early round victories over Ajax (Coca Cola Cup 2002 – 2003 semifinal and 2003 – 2004 quarterfinal) ultimately saw Chiefs reach the final of those tournaments, they finished runner’s up in 02-03 and were Coca Cola Cup winners in 2003 – 2004. The last Cup clash between the teams ended in a 2-1 triumph for the Amakhosi which was during the 2009 – 2010 Telkom Knockout Cup Final.

Recent History

Since Vladimir Vermezovic assumed the head coaches position at Chiefs the Amakhosi have faced Ajax seven times, these half a dozen matches produced have produced an astonishing 18 goals at an average of 2.58 goals per game.

The Amakhosi have scored 12 of those goals at an average of 1.71 goals per game, last season the teams did not meet in a Cup competition, over their two league clashes Chiefs were beaten in 1-0 Cape Town.

In the return game which was to be the penultimate fixture of the season the Amakhosi did record their largest victory over the Urban Warriors, a 4-0 triumph in Polokwane a result which ultimately cost Ajax their first Absa Premiership title.