Muhsin Ertugral has taken his team into overdrive as they get ready for their first match since the 29th Septmeber. While the Amakhosi might have had a lot of free time over the past month, that all ends this weekend as they begin a jam-packed programme which could see them playing thirteen official league and Cup games from now till the end of December.

It all gets underway for Chiefs when they travel to Rustenburg to face Platinum Stars on Sunday afternoon at the Olympia Park Stadium. Ertugral will want to return from the North West Province with three points.

A win will do a lot for his team's confidence looking ahead to next weekend's crunch Telkom Knockout ¼ Finals with SuperSport United.

Chiefs though will be wary of a Stars backlash after they as defending champions were unceremoniously dumped out of the Telkom Cup by unfancied Amazulu in the opening round.

While Stars might be still smarting from exiting the Telkom Cup, Chiefs would be looking to use the fact that Stars recently parted company with long time coach Owen Da Gama to their advantage, as the tactically minded coach has packed his bags and moved off to Orlando Pirates.

The History

Silver Stars as they were known when they joined the elite ranks of South African football when they were promoted to the PSL at the start of the 2003 – 2004 season, first came up against Chiefs in the 2003 Coca Cola Cup Final at the FNB Stadium on the 6th December 2003. While the rookies might have surprised many in making it to the final, they were unable to give Chiefs much of a problem and goals from Stanton Fredericks and a penalty by Patrick Mayo in the 90th minute sealed a 2-0 win for Chiefs.

While it may be a brief history whenever Chiefs and Stars clash the matches are always full of incident, even though both league games in the 2003 – 2004 campaign ended in goalless stalemates. It all changed the following season when thanks to a Collins Mbesuma thunderbolt and another goal from John 'Shoes' Moshoeu, Chiefs defeated Stars for the inaugural time in a league encounter on the 11th September 2004. Ertugral has taken his team into overdrive as they get ready for their first match since the 29th September.

Stars defeated Chiefs for the first time in any competition when they emerged 4-2 victors when the teams met in Rustenburg in November 2005, Chiefs twice gave up the lead and had defender Fabian McCarthy sent off as Stars picked up the points. Jimmy Tau scored his first goal for The Amakhosi when the teams met for the second time in the 2005 – 2006 season, even though Chiefs went a goal down early in the game Patrick Mayo found an equalizer soon afterwards and Tau popped up two minutes into the second half to net Chiefs winner.

Last season saw the teams play to another goalless draw at the Bafokeng Stadium in January 2007, they met again on the last day of the season and Stars ran out 2-1 winners to make it two wins for each team after six league games contested between them.

Who to look out for

One Chiefs player who has made his mark this season is Siphiwe Tshabalala. The pacey and energetic young Bafana Bafana natural left footed player has fitted like a glove in his role as wide left sided midfielder. He will come into this game fresh off a meeting with FIFA World Cup Champions Italy. The experience of coming up against the World Champions will have given him a good run ahead of this clash with Stars. Tshabalala’s genius in the midfield is what Ertugral will be looking for against what has in recent times looked like an unsure Stars backline. Bafana Bafana star's ability to turn in accurate passes from the midfield will be an added headache for the Stars backline to cope with.

Chiefs favoured front two pairing of Shaun Bartlett and Kaizer Motaung Junior both found their way on to the score sheet when Chiefs over came Swallows in the Telkom Cup last 16 game recently. Kaizer Junior was unlucky not to have had a second goal in the game as it was ruled unfairly to be offside. Both have benefited from the resurgence of Arthur Zwane on the right side of midfield, balanced out by Tshabalala creating havoc on the left has meant that crosses have come into the box from all quarters.

The bullets are being loaded it is now up to Bartlett and Motaung to fire home the salvos which will give Chiefs victory over Stars, one would think with both men getting on the end of the crosses it is only a matter of time before they start topping the goal scoring charts.

For Platinum Stars the performance of defender Abass Inusah will key to their chances. The Ghanaian has formed a pillar of strength for them at the back. He will be called upon to keep the Chiefs frontman in check.

Goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands will once again looking to lift his game as he usually does whenever he faces the bigger teams; in the Stars ranks there is also the exciting talents of midfielder Stanley Kgatla who recently turned 25. Keeping Kgatla quiet will be important to Chiefs success as he usually gets dangerous balls up to the likes of Dingaan Masanabo and the former Moroka Swallows striker Henrico Botes.

Kaizer Chiefs Vs Platinum (Silver) Stars sine 2003 – 2004 League Only

2003 – 2004


24th March 2004


Silver Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

24th April 2004


Kaizer Chiefs 0 Silver Stars 0


2004 – 2005

11th September 2004


Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Moshoeu 34 min, Mbesuma 64 min) Silver Stars 1


6th February 2005


Silver Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

2005 – 2006

16th November 2005


Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Agyemang 8 min, Chalwe 55 min) Silver Stars 1


23rd April 2006


Silver Stars 1 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Mayo 16 min, Tau 47 min)

2006 – 2007

10th January 2007


Silver Stars 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0


20th May 2007


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Djiehoua 64 min) Silver Stars 2