New trio ready to make Chiefs debut

Kaizer Chiefs say they have a selection headache going into Wednesday’s Betway Premiership clash against Siwelele with three players back from injury and ready to play.

“Lebohang Maboe, Etiosa Ighodaro, and Nkanyiso Shinga are edging closer to full match fitness, offering the coaching staff a welcome selection dilemma,” said a club statement.

Neither of the trio has yet to play for the club, having all been signed in the build-up to the new season.

Ighodaro was snapped up after his contract at Mamelodi Sundowns came to an end. The Nigerian striker had been on loan at Chippa United, SuperSport United, and AmaZulu over the past three seasons.

Maboe was also released by Sundowns after being on loan at SuperSport last season. He travelled with the team to Lubumbashi over the weekend but was not included in the match-day squad.

Shinga, the 25-year-old fullback who previously played in Portugal, had a handful of outings on the club’s pre-season tour of the Netherlands but has yet to appear in an official game for AmaKhosi.

Chiefs take on struggling Siwelele at Soccer City after travelling back from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where on Saturday they held AS Simba to a goalless draw in Lubumbashi in the first leg of their African Confederation Cup tie.

Chiefs said they still have a significant number of players out.

“The medical team is currently managing a growing injury list, with George Matlou, Ethan Chislett, Paseka Mako, Bontle Molefe, Given Msimango, and Rushwin Dortley all sidelined. Msimango and Dortley, in particular, have been out for extended periods. This poses selection challenges for the technical team,” added the statement.

Chiefs go into Wednesday’s league match sitting in fourth place in the standings with 15 points from eight games. They are behind long-standing rivals Orlando Pirates on goal difference only but six points off leaders Sundowns and five off second-placed Sekhukhune United. Sundowns, however, have played 10 games already while Sekhukhune have completed nine league fixtures.