Kaizer Chiefs have a few players returning to form in 2024-2025 but they’ll need to keep it up for nine months and that’s a challenge.
Ranga has started the new campaign well
Ranga Chivaviro battled in his debut campaign for Chiefs but things are looking a little rosier in 2024-2025. The former Gallants man, incredibly prolific for his old team, has scored in back-to-back Betway Premiership matches, recently against Sundowns. He bagged an astonishing 17 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions for Gallants in the 2022-2023 campaign but the challenge now will be for him to keep that up. Scoring in two consecutive games is one thing, bagging double figures at the very least is quite another. According to reports from snl24, Chiefs are readying a new contract for the striker:
“In most cases, the club has waited until the last minute to extend player contracts, and they don’t want to do that with Ranga [Chivaviro], and that’s why they may already offer him a new two-year deal. It’s not a done deal, as there is still some work to do.”
Castillo is also feeling a little better about life
Venezuela held World Champions Argentina to a 1-1 draw on Thursday night in a notoriously difficult section of World Cup qualifying. Former Man City defender Nicolas Otamendi put Argentina in front on 13 minutes but journeyman striker Salomon Rondon equalised on 65 minutes to give La Vinotinto a share of the spoils. 35-year-old Rondon has enjoyed stints with Las Palmas, Malaga, Rubin Kazan, Zenit Saint Petersburg, West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle, CSKA Moscow, Everton River Plate and Pachuca. It’s safe to say he’s been there, done that and got the T-shirt. Chiefs midfielder Edson Castillo was a late substitute in Monagas at a stadium where he used to play his home games at club level and he also got to share the pitch with Lionel Messi. Next, Venezuela meets Paraguay at 01:00 (SA time) in the early hours of Wednesday 16 October.
Amakhosi stars on international duty
Aside from Castillo, Chiefs’ new number 1 goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari was in goal for Rwanda as they got thrashed 3-0 by Benin on Friday evening. One of the goal-scorers was former Huddersfield and Montpellier striker Steve Mounie. He’s now on the books of German Bundesliga side Augsburg. Ntwari and Rwanda can atone next against Benin at home on Tuesday 15 October. Meanwhile, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe helped his Botswana side to a 1-0 win over Cape Verde on Thursday. They meet the Islanders again on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Rushwin Dortley started Bafana Bafana’s resounding 5-0 victory over Congo and will expect to keep his place in the return match on Tuesday.
Leave a Reply