Nick Said, Special to ESPN 6y

Chiefs still in title race, insists Komphela

Steve Komphela believes his Kaizer Chiefs side is still very much in the Absa Premiership title race, as they prepare for their final game of 2017 at 'home' to Ajax Cape Town at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday night.

Chiefs trail league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by six points but have played two games more as they prepare to hit the halfway mark of the campaign, but Komphela says that should not rule his side out of the running.

"If you asked the same question when they [Sundowns] had gone through a patch where they were not winning, would you have said Sundowns are relegation candidates? No," Komphela told reporters in response to a question on whether the title race was over.

"The same should apply now in terms of looking at it in a positive light. There's still a long way to go.

"We should close the year positively. We need to get a win as well and, if I remember well, we haven't won at home for whatever reason. It's important to go to Durban against a very good Ajax team, coached by a very good coach [Stanley Menzo], and try to win a match."

Komphela admits his side have not won enough matches this season, just four in 14 in the league, but says the tight nature of the campaign means a lot of teams are still in contention.

"There are teams that had gone eight matches, five or six without a win and all of a sudden when they win they are still in contention which shows that other teams hadn't made much movement," he added.

"I don't know why. From a technical point of view it just boils down to wins.

"Then you ask yourself, 'why are you not winning'? Are you scoring enough? Are you creating enough? Those are the questions that we are asking ourselves as technicians. 

"It is a PSL, Absa Premiership, phenomenon that I don't know how we can deal with it. But it is our responsibility and duty to deal with it."

Sundowns meanwhile, face their bogey side - Bloemfontein Celtic at home on Saturday afternoon - looking to put an end to an inexplicably poor run at home to Siwelele.

Their last three matches on their home patch against a Celtic side that has struggled in recent seasons, have resulted in 5-0 and 3-1 losses, and most recently a 0-0 draw.

Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is also not buying into the idea that his side are runaway leaders at the top.

"The lead is encouraging but it works in both ways‚" he said.

"It looks good and everybody goes for you, but it also gives confidence to wrap it up and copy top teams like Manchester City.

"They go for it every week but games in hand don't mean a lot. I like the points that we have. SuperSport [United] have games in hand and they drew last week. Those things don't work.

"When you have a 14- or 15-point lead‚ then you can say it's silly to lose the title but when you don't have that points difference‚ it's too early. We haven't even got to the halfway mark."

Second-placed Orlando Pirates have one of the more difficult journeys in the PSL when they travel to Free State Stars on Saturday afternoon, though they have enjoyed good recent success against Ea La Koto of late.

Fifth-placed Chippa United will test their strong home record against Polokwane City, while there is a surprise relegation battle between champions BidVest Wits and Platinum Stars.

Wits, bottom of the league after 13 matches, host second-bottom Stars and having scored a paltry seven goals all campaign, are in desperate need of a win and boost in confidence.

There are also two matches on Sunday when SuperSport United travel to off-form Baroka FC and Lamontville Golden Arrows host Maritzburg United in a KwaZulu-Natal Derby.       

The action gets under way on Friday night though as Cape Town City host AmaZulu.

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