Clear blue skies were consumed by dense rain clouds late Saturday afternoon in Durban as the sunnier climate experienced throughout the day turned into an afternoon shower, which the weather service has said will carry on throughout the night on Saturday.

The Amakhosi had been preparing for rain and are fully prepared for the wet conditions that they will be up against when they meet SuperSport United at the ABSA Stadium on Saturday evening in the SAA Supa8 Final. The weather might be a good omen for Chiefs as the last final they played in Durban back in May this year against Orlando Pirates in the ABSA Cup, the game also played in wet and windy conditions.

While the weather might not have caught many by surprise, Ernst Middendorp’s team selection might have, with Siyabonga Nkosi picking up an injury after last Saturday’s goalless draw with Sundowns. The Chiefs coach has been forced into making his first change in midfield which sees Gert Schalkwyk who came on as a substitute for the injured Nkosi promoted to a starting role.

Much is expected of Schalkwyk against SuperSport as Ernst Middendorp will be looking towards him and Scara Ngobese teaming up in the midfield with the same devastating effect the pair had on Moroka Swallows in the semifinal when Ngobese, who was voted the man of the match in that game, opened the scoring and Schalkwyk turned up in extra time to drive the ball home, as he handed Chiefs their passage to Saturday evenings Final.

Other changes to the team sees Tinashe Nengomasha make a return from a combination of a suspension and an ankle injury which kept him out of Chiefs last two games including, this being his first start since the Supa8 semifinal on the 24th September.

Arthur Zwane replaces Thabo Mooki in midfield, while there is a further change up front which sees Rotson Kilambe make his first start for The Amakhosi as he takes the place of Kaizer Motaung Junior up front. Kilambe will partner Shaun Bartlett in attack and Ernst Middendorp will be hoping that Kilambe can show the same kind of form he did in the 2005 SAA Supa8 Final when his lone strike helped his former team Bloemfontein Celtic triumph over SuperSport United.

A surprise omission from the Chiefs 18 man squad for the final is Ugandan David Obua who will, along with Siyabonga Nkosi, have to watch Saturday’s final from the stands.

The Amakhosi have thrown down the gauntlet to SuperSport as Ernst Middendorp has demonstrated through his team selection, that Chiefs will not be content with sitting back and absorbing SuperSport. Instead the Chiefs coach is confident that his team will be able to take the game to the opposition and get the goals which will help Chiefs lift their second major trophy in six months.

Line Up

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 4. C. Nzama, 6. F. McCarthy, 21. P. Mayo,

33. D. Mototo, 18. A. Zwane, 8. T. Nengomasha, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 11. E. Ngobese,

17. S. Bartlett, 22. R. Kilambe




Substitutes: 16. R. Wuest, 2. J. Tau, 12. T. Mooki, 31. D. Radebe, 7. K. Motaung Jnr,

24. D. Mathebula, 44. S. Mkhonza




Coach: Ernst Middendorp

Officials

Referee: Daniel Bennett


Assistant 1: Enoch Molefe


Assistant 2: Luyanda Somi


4th Official: Yusuf Vawda


Match Commissioner: Philemon Masemola