Kaizer Chiefs have officially been confirmed as the 2014/15 Absa Premiership champions, and their success couldn’t have been achieved if it wasn’t for various partnerships.
Today I look at the winning partnerships Chiefs formed throughout the season…
Tefu Mashamaite & Eric Mathoho
Famously known as the ‘Twin Towers’, the duo was at the heart of Chiefs’ defence throughout the campaign. So vital was their impact, that they helped Chiefs concede the least amount of goals in the league this season - letting through just 12 so far. With aerial prowess, composure at the back and perfectly timed tackles, this pairing was an excellent defensive unit.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane & Siphiwe Tshabalala
The midfielders added experience, poise and finesse in the middle of the field for Chiefs throughout the season. There is no team that can boast such an efficient and experienced midfield pairing in South Africa and they were undoubtedly crucial to the team’s success. With seven goals from Yeye and 12 assists from Shabba, the two were certainly important to their results.
Kinston Nkhatha & Bernard Parker
While this may come as an unusual pairing, Nkhatha’s exit from the team was proof that himself and Parker did indeed have a good partnership. No one has quite filled in the traditional number nine role since the Zimbabwean left Chiefs, and that in turn allowed for Parker to sit more wide. While Nkhatha may have only featured in the first five months of the campaign, he and Parker were vital to Chiefs’ unbeaten run.
George Maluleka, George Lebese & Mandla Masango
The trio famously gained the title 'MaLeMa' after their exploits in the middle of the field. While Maluleka played now and then during the second half of the season, he filled in adequately during Tshabalala’s absence at the beginning of the campaign. His partnership alongside the in-form Lebese and the rejuvenated Masango was an excellent one - which saw the trio score 18 goals between them across all competitions.
There were so many excellent pairings at Chiefs this season – which one stood out for you?
