Blom blow for Kaizer Chiefs ahead of Stellenbosch FC clash

[ad_1]

The Glamour Boys head into the game on an unbeaten run of five matches in all competitions, since losing 4-0 to Wydad Casablanca last month

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt will have to plan without suspended midfielder Njabulo Blom for Tuesday evening’s league encounter with Stellenbosch FC at the FNB Stadium.

The 21-year-old Blom has been an integral part of the Chiefs set-up this season, having featured in 19 league games, one Nedbank Cup match and nine Caf Champions League games.

He operates mainly as a deeper-lying central midfielder but has also shown his versatility by playing as a full-back on a couple of occasions.

He will, however, not be able to play against Steve Barker’s Stellenbosch side on Tuesday, having accumulated four yellow cards in the league, the last of which came in the 1-0 Soweto derby win over Orlando Pirates on 21 March.

The other three bookings were against TTM, AmaZulu and Black Leopards.

Blom started and completed Amakhosi’s impressive 1-0 win over Wydad Casablanca on Saturday and even though Hunt has other options such as Willard Katsande, Anthony Akumu Agay and Kearyn Baccus, who can play in Blom’s position, the coach has had a preference for the youngster this season and rates him highly.

“Njabulo Blom was Man of the Match, fantastic you know,” Hunt said after the Pirates win. “He’s got energy, he’s got legs, it’s what we need, he’s got the desire, we just have to get him better, but he’ll get better.”

Hunt has had to deal with numerous injuries this season, a campaign in which Chiefs have not been able to add to their squad due to a transfer ban.

On top of that, the Amakhosi mentor has also had a number of suspensions to contend with – and on the weekend he got two more when both Samir Nurkovic and Daniel Akpeyi were sent off in the Champions League – the pair won’t be available for Chiefs’ final Group C match, away in Gabon against Horoya FC this coming Saturday.

Others who have been red-carded this season in various competitions include Darrel Matsheke, Bernard Parker, Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya, Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Philani Zulu.

The game against Stellenbosch kicks off at 17:00.

[ad_2]

Source link