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The Citizen
08-08-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Can Chiefs beat Stellies again and get their season off to a flyer?
Are Sekhukhune and Chippa United worth an outside pick? The Betway Premiership kicks off this weekend with a full set of enthralling fixtures to feast on for fans of the beautiful game in South Africa. Probably the most exciting of all is Sunday's meeting between Stellenbosch and Kaizer Chiefs at Athlone Stadium. A sell-out crowd is expected in the Mother City to watch Amakhosi start their season against Steve Barker's Stellies. Stellenbosch did lose three times to Chiefs last season – twice in the Betway Premiership and once in the Nedbank Cup. It was Stellies, however, who finished the season six places above Chiefs in the Premiership table, ending up in third for a second successive campaign. The odds for Sunday's game do slightly favour the Winelands side, with Stellies priced at 2.16 to Chiefs' 3.40 and a draw at 3.20. The pressure will certainly be on Chiefs, with Nabi's side finishing a disappointing ninth in the table last season, and missing out on a place in the MTN8 for the second year in a row. Chiefs did win the Nedbank Cup, beating Stellenbosch in the quarterfinals, but could do with getting their new league campaign off to a flying start. On Saturday, Abelsam Ouaddou takes charge of his first Premiership game as Orlando Pirates head coach. The Buccaneers are at home to Erik Tinkler's Sekhukhune, who beat Pirates 1-0 in this fixture last season. Pirates, however, are heavy favourites to win this time, priced at 1.49 to Sekhukhune's 6.80, with a draw at 4.00. Both Pirates and Sekhukhune won their opening matches of the season last weekend as they reached the MTN8 semifinals. Tinkler, meanwhile, will no doubt relish the chance to test himself again against a side he took to the Caf Confederation Cup final in 2015. Early in the season, this could be the time to take on Pirates, and at 6.80, a bet on an away win will certainly get you more bang for your buck if it comes through. If you are looking for an outsider, meanwhile, you can also get 10.00 on Chippa winning at home to reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday. As the odds reflect, this is highly unlikely to happen, but early season could just be the time to pick an upset. Please note that these Betway odds were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
The Citizen
06-08-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Barker sees benefits in early Chiefs clash
Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker believes there are benefits to playing a high-profile team like Kaizer Chiefs in their opening... Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker believes there are benefits to playing a high-profile team like Kaizer Chiefs in their opening game of the Betway Premiership season. ALSO READ: Pirates coach confident Mofokeng will stay Amakhosi and Stellies will meet on Sunday at the Cape Town Stadium, and Barker believes his side can gain from having studied Chiefs' pre-season matches. Barker – playing Chiefs early is 'a bit easier' 'From a motivational level it is a bit easier,' he told reporters at the Betway Premiership launch in Sandton this week. 'It is the first game of the season and there will be a lot of anticipation from our fans and Chiefs' fans. We expect the stadium will be full. The players will be really motivated. 'Chiefs have also had a lot of exposure. We saw their friendlies in pre-season. If we were playing Marumo Gallants or Siwelele we might be a bit in the dark. With Chiefs we have more knowledge of how they do things and how they want to play.' Stellenbosch have finished third in the Premiership table for two seasons in a row under Barker's guidance. Chiefs, meanwhile, have failed to finish inside the top eight for the last two campaigns. Nasreddine Nabi's Amakhosi, however, did beat Stellenbosch three times last season. Chiefs won 2-1 at home to Stellenbosch in the Premiership in January, and then beat them 1-0 in the return fixture in Cape Town a month later. Nabi's side also beat Stellies 3-1 after extra time in Port Elizabeth in March in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals. Amakhosi ended up winning the Nedbank Cup, their first trophy in a decade. 'Stellenbosch are very tough opponents,' said Nabi. 'We managed to beat them three times last season, but they were very tough encounters that could have gone either way. 'It is not for nothing that they finished third and reached the semifinals of the Caf Confederation Cup. 'A lot of confidence' 'We have all respect for them, but we are going to Cape Town with a lot of confidence to get a positive result.' ALSO READ: Nabi promises better Chiefs season Chiefs will be without Nedbank Cup Player of the Season Pule Mmodi for the clash with Stellies. Mmodi is serving the second match of a two-game ban after being sent off against Sekhukhune United on May 17.
The Citizen
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Nabi promises better Chiefs season as Betway Prem launches
Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi would not be moved yesterday on whether Amakhosi can challenge for the Betway Premiership... Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi would not be moved yesterday on whether Amakhosi can challenge for the Betway Premiership title. ALSO READ: Cardoso on Sundowns' transfer policy The 2025/26 season was launched in Sandton with the coaches of the 16 top flight clubs. And Nabi did vow that Chiefs would do better than last season, when they finished ninth in the table. Chiefs' Nabi – 'Game by game' 'I won't talk about the title, we will take it game by game,' said the Chiefs coach, whose side open their campaign at Stellenbosch on Sunday. 'For sure we will be better than last season. It is a tough league, but we know where we have come and where we want to go, and we are looking forward to it. If Chiefs had a poor Premiership season in the 2024/25 campaign, they did do a Premiership double over Stellies, as well as also beating them en route to lifting the Nedbank Cup. It was Steve Barker's side, however, who finished third in the table to qualify for the Caf Confederation Cup for a second successive campaign. 'Coach Nabi has (previously) indicated that last season was not bad because they beat Stellenbosch three times and won the Nedbank Cup!,' quipped Barker, whose team will host Chiefs at Cape Town Stadium. 'It is always tough (to play them). It is a great start to the season, we know the fans will come out in numbers to support.' New Orlando Pirates head coach Abdelsam Ouaddou will lead his side into their first Premiership game against Sekhukhune United on Saturday at Orlando Stadium. Pirates' winning start Ouaddou got off to a winning start to his Buccaneers career, as his side comfortably beat Polokwane City 2-0 in the MTN8 quarterfinals on Saturday. Oswin Appollis scored on debut in that game against his former side, and Ouaddou praised the role of Pirates scouts in the new signings they have made ahead of the new season. 'I think the scouts of the club did well,' he said. 'Pirates have an identity, a big history, they are a big club and know exactly what type of player they want. 'They need to quickly adapt to my ideas and game model, so let us see what the future tells us. But of course, we are ambitious for this season.' 'I don't care if it is just Pirates fans' Sekhukhune head coach Eric Tinkler hopes there will be a packed Orlando Stadium again on Saturday, as there was last weekend. ALSO READ: Chiefs face Stellies as they look for Premiership lift 'It was great to see, and we are hoping to see that on Saturday again,' said Tinkler. 'I don't care if it is just Pirates fans. We are motivated to go there and get a result.'
IOL News
31-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
WATCH: Stellenbosch FC ready to 'carry Cape football' as new season gets underway against AmaZulu
Stellenbosch FC will face AmaZulu in the MTN8 quarterfinal at Cape Town Stadium on Sunday. Picture: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix JOHANNESBURG - Stellenbosch FC are ready to be the Western Cape flagbearers in South Africa's football top-tier this season, according to veteran goalkeeper Lee Langeveldt. Local rivals Cape Town City were relegated at the end of last season, while Stellies finished in a credible third position for the second consecutive season. The Winelands club also finished runners-up in the MTN8, and enjoyed a dream run to the semi-finals in the Caf Confederation Cup. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Langeveldt feels the Maroons have become accustomed to carrying the Cape football's hopes on their shoulders. 'I think over the past few seasons, I think we were basically carrying Cape Town football,' Langeveldt said at the MTN8 launch at the SuperSport Studios in Randburg. 'Last season we won a trophy, this season we want to continue with that, winning trophies. Last season we made it to the semi-final of Caf, final of top 8, and 3rd in the league. Now it's the next hurdle to hopefully win the League and win another trophy.' Betway Premiership championship success might be a steep mountain to climb considering Mamelodi Sundowns' depth of talent and resources, but Steve Barker's charges will certainly have a crack at the MTN8 title they came so close to annexing last season. A strong showing in the MTN8 will also give Stellenbosch the confidence that they can sustain a strong challenge in the League after another off-season that has seen major exits at Danie Craven Stadium. Our first match of the season is just over a week away 🔜 🆚 AmaZulu FC 🏆 #MTN8 quarter-final 🏟 DHL Stadium, Cape Town 📅 3 August 2025 🕙 15h00 📺 SABC Sport & SuperSport 🎟️ R60.00 from Open Tickets — Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) July 25, 2025 Ivorian central defender Ismael Toure has moved to the UAE, while midfielder Sihle Nduli and left wing-back Fawaaz Basadien have moved up to the highveld rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns respectively. Langeveldt believes Stellenbosch have showed that they can regroup after similar high-profile departures like Ashley du Preez, Jayden Adams, Iqraam Rayners and Zitha Kwinike in recent seasons. 'I think it's the model of the club, we're always going to lose our quality players, but we always replace well,' he said. 'I think credit to the recruitment department, there's always a plan in place if we do lose these players. 'We've proven over the last couple of years that we can do it, and hopefully we can continue like that, always bringing the same quality of players.' The 38-year-old is unlikely to feature in Sunday's MTN8 quarter-final against AmaZulu having recently been assimilated into the Stellies' coaching staff with Sage Stephens and Oscarine Masuluke set to battle it out for the No 1 jersey, but Langeveldt is elated that the club will at least face the Usuthu at Cape Town Stadium after their gypsy-like existence last season. Stellenbosch played 'home' matches in Durban, Gqeberha and even Pretoria last season. 'At least we're playing in Cape Town, so that's a positive,' he said. ' Hopefully, D.C. (Danie Craven Stadium) will be sorted soon and we can play in Stellenbosch where most of our supporters are. 'Yeah, Amazulu, it's going to be a tough match. I think they're a good team. They released a couple of players over the off-season, I think it's more than 15 if I'm not mistaken. 'So they're in a re-building phase, hopefully we can use that advantage to our advantage.'
IOL News
31-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Sky is the Limit for Fawaaz Basadien at Mamelodi Sundowns
Fawaaz Basadien has travelled a long and arduous road to Mamelodi Sundowns. Picture: Facebook Image: Facebook When the Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs come calling, there are few players that can deny the temptation. So, when Fawaaz Basadien finally completed his move to Mamelodi Sundowns, as per Independent Media's exclusive earlier in the week, over the past weekend it would have hurt the traditional big guns of South African football. But the reality was that the biggest competitor to Sundowns for Basadien's signature had actually hailed from North Africa, according to the Bafana Bafana wing-back's agent Basia Michaels of QT Sports. Furthermore, Basadien was keen to explore the prospect of moving abroad. Having interviewed Basadien regularly over the past 12 months, he spoke openly about how much he enjoyed Stellenbosch FC's Caf Confederation Cup adventures last season, particularly the trip to Cairo when Stellies overcame North African giants Zamalek in the quarter-finals. It was Basadien that convinced the club officials to make the trip to the ancient Pyramids to get a greater feel of the culture and history of the Egyptian capital. It's therefore no surprise that Michaels stated: "The strongest bid in North Africa came from Al Masry, which was a club Fawaaz was keen to join. I think he himself had done his research and he was excited to join them. But at the end of the day, we go where we put pen to paper and where the price is paid." Fawaaz Basadien takes the hot seat! 🔥 From his football idol to his favourite Sandawna, our latest signing faces the heat with a few surprise questions thrown in! 👀 Get to know the man behind the jersey 👆#Sundowns — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 27, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ While an Egyptian transfer would no doubt have broadened the Grassy Park-born star's horizons, Basadien and Sundowns are a perfect fit. The 28-year-old has travelled a long and arduous road to the nation's capital. Although a promising all-round sportsman, who represented Western Province in age-group cricket at national weeks, football was always going to be the choice. Reared in a football-crazed household with his father, Mogamat Basadien a former hard-working midfielder for semi-pro-outfit Milano FC, the skilful defender is blessed with good genes and has been in the full glare of the limelight since he was 16. A mesmerising performance at the heart of the self-same Milano FC U19s midfield against Chiefs U19s at the Bayhill Premier Cup sparked the initial interest from Cape Town City. However, Basadien's time at the Citizens was a frustrating experience with most of it spent in the Diski team, and when he eventually was afforded a professional debut, City could not even bother to print a shirt with his name and embarrassingly used masking tape and inked it on. It was the epitome of how undervalued Basadien was at City. A move to lower league teams Ubuntu FC and Steenberg United transpired, and it seemed that another highly-talented Cape Town youngster was going to waste. It is in these moments that a player's character is put to the test. Was Basadien simply going to accept his fate? It is here when Basadien showcased his dogged determination by boarding a bus in the midst of the Covid-19 virus and headed to Gauteng for a trial at Moroka Swallows. With such a committed attitude, there was no stopping Basadien and after two seasons in Dobsonville, Stellies boss Steve Barker came knocking and brought the now polished defender back to the Western Cape. The rest is history, as they say in the classics, with Basadien going on to represent the Maroons in over 100 appearances, including captaining them, whilst also graduating to the Bafana ranks. The move to Sundowns has come just at the right time. While he will forever be grateful to Rob Benadie, Barker and Co, Basadien's ambitions are greater than Stellenbosch's at the moment. He wants to win trophies and also compete regularly in the Caf Champions League. The same philosophy applied to Masandawana and Bafana captain Ronwen Williams when he moved from his beloved SuperSport United to the Brazilians. He will be stepping into an existing, and winning hierarchy at Sundowns and will undoubtedly face stiff competition from Aubrey Modiba, Terence Mashego, Sifiso Ngobeni and Divine Lunga for the left wingback slot, but he has already proved that he will not allow anything - or anyone - to block his path. The financial impact of the move to Sundowns is also life-changing for Basadien and his young family and he will have the support of his former Stellies teammates Iqraam Rayners and Jayden Adams at Chloorkop. And who knows he might even win Goal of the Year if he can produce a similar strike to his miraculous long-range effort against Cape Town City last year now that he's in Sundowns colours? The Sky is certainly the Limit for Basadien.
