Kaizer Chiefs Set to Meet Marumo Gallants in Season Opener

Kaizer Chiefs are preparing to start their 2024-25 season with a match against Marumo Gallants. This game will be held at the Toyota Stadium on Saturday, September 14, at 17:30 local time. Chiefs, known as the Amakhosi, are about to embark on their 55th season in the top-flight, marking a significant milestone in their storied history. This match against Gallants will be their 1,701st league game since their first appearance in 1971.

Since the formation of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in the 1996-97 season, Chiefs have participated in 864 league matches. Their upcoming fixture against Gallants will be their 865th league encounter, highlighting their longevity and consistency in the league. The upcoming match will be the fifth meeting between Chiefs and Marumo Gallants, following their initial clash in the 2021-22 season.

Gallants were relegated during the 2022-23 season but have re-entered the Premiership by acquiring the status of Moroka Swallows. This season, they will be based in Bloemfontein, marking a new chapter for the team. In their previous four league meetings, Chiefs remain undefeated against Gallants. The only victory in these fixtures for Chiefs came with a 1-0 win on May 3, 2022, at the FNB Stadium, where Njabulo Blom set up the winning goal for Keagan Dolly.

The other three meetings between the two sides have ended in draws. Notably, both occasions when Gallants played host to Chiefs ended with the teams sharing the points. Their first meeting in 2021-22 in Polokwane concluded with a goalless draw, while their encounter in 2022-23 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium ended 1-1, with Mahlatse Makudubela’s early goal cancelled out by a late equalizer from Zitha Kwinika.

The last league match between these teams, held on May 6, 2023, saw Chiefs take an early lead through Ashley Du Preez, only for Gallants’ current striker Ranga Chivaviro to equalize later. The Toyota Stadium will be the third different venue where Chiefs face off against Gallants, having previously played in Polokwane and Rustenburg.

Historically, Chiefs have performed well in the opening fixtures of a PSL season, securing 15 wins in their previous 28 opening games. Their most substantial season-opening victory in the PSL came with a 6-0 win over AmaZulu in the 2012-13 season, leading eventually to a league title. The team’s largest triumph in an opening game occurred in 1971, with an 11-1 victory against African Wanderers, where Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe scored four goals and Otto Malaza three. Chiefs’ first-ever PSL game saw a narrow 1-0 victory over Jomo Cosmos on August 10, 1996, sealed by a goal from the late Thabang Lebese.