Amakhosi coach, Nasreddine Nabi will be delighted to have Edmilson Dove available for this weekend’s Betway Premiership blockbuster against Mamelodi Sundowns, with the Mozambique international fully recovered from injury.

Nabi has been unable to utilise the experienced defender all season so far, after he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the Club’s pre-season training camp in Turkiye and was forced to return home early to undergo reconstructive surgery.

The 31-year-old is relieved that his ordeal is finally over and cannot wait to return to the pitch to serve Amakhosi’s cause in the second half of the season.

“It hasn’t been an easy journey but, by the grace of God, I am running again. I want to thank the doctors and express my gratitude to the Club for all the resources that were put at my disposal to help me recover as soon as possible,” he tells www.kaizerchiefs.com, adding, “I also deeply appreciate the support from my teammates and the technical staff. It has really helped me a lot.”

Chiefs face a formidable challenge on Saturday when they make the short trip to Atteridgeville in Tshwane, where the defending champions lie in wait at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe stadium but Dove, who has seen it all before, remains undaunted by the prospect, saying, “These are the types of games each and every player wants to be involved in. There is no need for any extra motivation. We are all excited. You can see it in the eyes of our players and the work they are putting in this week.”

Notwithstanding Masandawana’s handy lead at the top of the league, a fixture between these two giants of domestic football always produces a buzz of excitement among their respective fan bases, which Dove attributes to, “a desire to win every match we play. We will count the points up at the end of the season but right now the focus is on performing well for our fans against a good team and hopefully getting a positive result.”

While it would take a minor miracle for Amakhosi to win the Betway Premiership title this season, they are through to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup and have a realistic chance of finishing high enough in the league table to qualify for CAF competition in 2025/26. For Dove and his teammates, the incentive to lift a trophy and secure a place in continental competition is driving them to perform at their peak week in and week out.

“We still have a lot to play for this season and our policy is to take one game at a time, either to get through to the next round of the Cup, or collect as many points as we can in our remaining matches. The vibe throughout the Club is positive and highly motivated,” he reveals.

Although it is impossible for Amakhosi to underestimate their opponents over the weekend, Dove insists that they do not feel intimidated by the challenge and will go into the match with the aim of beating Sundowns.

“Obviously, they are a good side. They have depth in their squad and have been on a good run, but as far as I am concerned, I don’t worry too much about the opposition because at the end of the day, what matters most is what we do,” he says, “Our purpose is to be at our best to give a good account of ourselves because that is the part we can control. Obviously, we do analysis on our opponents but we primarily focus on our own approach.”

The Amakhosi faithful will attend the game in large numbers, as usual, and Dove declares that the players and staff desperately want to reward them with a performance and result to celebrate.

“From the supporters, we cannot ask for more than they have been doing,” he says, “They have been behind us through thick and thin, and have never abandoned us even when things haven’t gone our way, so I want to commend them and let them know how much we appreciate their loyalty. Their support is very important to the team and they play a major part in everything we do on the field. Their singing from the stands lifts up our spirits and we implore them to keep supporting us because we need them.”

Tickets for this big match between The Glamour Boys and The Brazilians are now SOLD OUT!

The hugely anticipated match will kick off at 15:30 on Saturday at Lucas Moripe Stadium in the country’s capital.