Kaizer Chiefs suffered a third straight defeat, but this is not the only concern for head coach Arthur Zwane as pressure mounts on him at Naturena.
The defeat was Amakhosi's seventh of the season, two less than the nine suffered last season in 30 Premiership matches.
Last season, during April 2022, Amakhosi suffered four straight defeats and could equal that unwanted record if the club fails to improve in various departments.
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Amakhosi's problems seem to be everywhere at the moment, with the club struggling in both attack and defence. The side has conceded six goals in their last three matches and have not yet found the back of the net in 2023.
Of the six goals Amakhosi conceded this year, five of those have been let in during the first half. Chiefs went into the market to sign Zitha Kwinika and Edmilson Dove, but the partnership has not helped in fixing the club's defensive problems. The Soweto giants have the worst defensive record of the clubs in the top eight, with 21 goals conceded in 17 matches.
Eight of the goals have come from two 4-0 defeats, first against Sundowns during the first half of the season and then to AmaZulu recently at Moses Mabhida Stadium. The last time Usuthu recorded a victory by scoring four goals or more was in April 2021 when they hammered Cape Town City 5-1, but tore Chiefs apart when the two sides met recently. The Soweto giants have kept just five clean sheets.
Last season Amakhosi conceded 26 goals and it looks as though their defensive record will be far worse this season, if they continue to let in more than a goal per game. Bottom of the table Marumo Gallants have conceded fewer goals than Chiefs this season.
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Upfront, Chiefs have not been lethal, as evident in the number of opportunities wasted against Sundowns. They are being haunted by the number of missed chances, with Zwane having spoken about how he wants his team to be lethal upfront, but they have not come to the party, with a poor record of 18 goals in 17 matches.
If Chiefs were to carry on with their current goal average, it is unlikely that the club will beat last season's tally of 34 goals in 30 matches.
In general, the numbers show that Amakhosi have made little improvement from last season, when they ended up finishing fifth on the standings.
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