Is it muti? Kaizer Chiefs beset by injury, illness and misfortune

Kaizer Chiefs have made a stuttering start to the second half of the season but Stuart Baxter hasn’t had much luck with injuries.

On top of the issues with fitness, Kaizer Chiefs have also had to deal with yet more health issues, off the back of their COVID-19 struggles in late 2021.

Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Reeve Frosler are out with football-related injuries while Njabulo Ngcobo suffered burn wounds in a domestic accident.

Their luck has been such that some might question whether they are cursed. There is also a school of thought that suggests Kaizer Chiefs use of muti has come back to haunt them.

Kaizer Chiefs can’t catch a break

To add to these issues it seems that Nkosingiphile Ngcobo has been sidelined with a mystery illness.

Kaizer Chiefs are yet to score in two matches since the restart following up their shock exit of the Nedbank Cup with a goalless draw away to Cape Town City.

Baxter opened up on the changes he was forced to make to the team and the struggles besetting Kaizer Chiefs.

The coach was disappointed to lose the player as he had found a way to bring him into the action.

“We changed our shape because we were looking at how Cape Town City set up.

Baxter continued: “We thought playing with extreme width – Reeve (Frosler) and Rama (Mphahlele) – would be better.

“We changed personnel as we wanted a little bit of fresh legs. 

“Mshini (Ngcobo) has got a bacterial infection, so he couldn’t play.”

Soccer Laduma

An untimely blow

Baxter was hoping to see more of Ngcobo playing as a link man between the midfield and the attack.

“We’ve sort of created a role for Mshini because he has been doing so well in that little No.10 in the pocket role,” the coach told the media.

“So, we went away from that today. I think all in all the changes had a positive effect, but when you don’t win a game you aren’t completely happy.”  

Kaizer Chiefs travel to Limpopo to face Baroka FC in the DStv Premiership this weekend.