We'll grind out for the result against Sundowns, says Chiefs' captain Maart

Kaizer Chiefs’ captain Yusuf Maart says they’ll not leave any stone unturned when they visit Mamelodi Sundowns in the Betway Premiership on Saturday.

Sundowns are the team to beat for the title this season. Not only are they the defending champions, but they are on top of the standings.

And with Chiefs having struggled this season as they are eighth on the log with 25 points after the 18 round of matches, Sundowns are expected to beat them at home.

Chiefs are heading into this clash on the back of a 4-1 loss to SuperSport United in the league, something that dampened the mood of their fans.

However, Maart, speaking during an event of the team with sponsors Toyota this week, stressed that they want to use that loss as a motivation heading into the clash in Atteridgeville.

“It’s football. You know that whatever result that you get you must take it game by game. Obviously, it’s the next game after that,” Maart said.

“You came from a loss, so you’ll be more motivated (to win the next game). But you need to stick together as a team and players. We need to go forward and try to get the result.”

Chiefs’ shortcomings have come all round. They haven’t been clinical up front, and have been leaking goals at the back.

Coach Nasreddine Nabi has been vocal about the fact that they are far off from being a well-oiled machine, and that’s why they still work on the project and process.

Maart, though, believes that if they can work on their finishing in the final third then they’ll be able to grind out the result against any team.

“It’s possible that we can get any result especially as a big team such as us. We create a lot of chances, it’s just a pity that our luck is not there in front of goals,” Maart said.

Chiefs could pose a threat for the Brazilians on Saturday as Maart believes that they’ll be able to get the result if they apply what Nabi has been teaching them at training.

“The preparations have been going well. The coach wants us to play in a certain way. So that’s how we’ll apply ourselves on the day,” Maart explained.

A win for Chiefs against the Brazilians will not only go a long way in boasting their season or avenging the 2-1 loss in the first leg at FNB, but it will also boost Orlando Pirates’ title hopes.

Pirates are second on the log, but they have four games in hand compared to the Brazilians whose season hasn’t been muddied by cancellation of matches due to the Royal AM saga.

And given that it’s popular knowledge that games in hands are not points won, some fans of Pirates – the Ghost – want Chiefs to do them a favour against Sundowns.

Maart seems to have caught the wind of that. But he argues that they won’t be doing anyone a favour by beating Sundowns and winning instead themselves.

“I think in football there are no favours. Everyone knows that we know that we need the result as well,” Maart said.

“We can’t predict what the result will be because we haven’t yet played the game. We need to go there on Saturday and see the results that we’ll get.”