Kaizer Chiefs' 2-0 victory over Stellenbosch has marked a significant turnaround that was not witnessed on the bench by head coach Nasreddine Nabi, statistically.
It's still early days but Chiefs beating Stellies by at least two goals, with Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Makabi Lilepo scoring and keeping a clean-sheet has a notable statistical significance.
Even given Amakhosi's struggles last season, it is actually an embarrassing fact that they spent the entire 2024/25 season without winning by at least two goals (or more) and keeping a clean-sheet in the Betway Premiership.
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The Soweto giants won only once by two goals or more the entire campaign in the league, when they thrashed AmaZulu 3-1 in their second game but they could not keep a clean-sheet.
Chiefs were criticized for seemingly not being ready for the new campaign and there was a popular sentiment, particularly after their goalless draw against Asante Kotoko that they appear not to have improved.
However, ironically, the last time Amakhosi beat any opposition by at least two goals and not conceding in the league was two years ago, when they beat the same side by the same scoreline on 30 August 2023 under former coach Molefi Ntseki, thanks to Pule Mmodi and Christian Saile scoring while goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was in goal.
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The Soweto giants won by two goals or more and not conceding only twice that campaign, after they had also thrashed Usuthu 3-0 prior to beating the Cape Winelands outfit.
Chiefs, though, are still crawling babies in the league business, as they only won consecutive matches once last term and their streak was only two games (in a row), their opening wins over Gallants and Usuthu, as the Glamour Boys host Polokwane City in their upcoming Betway Premiership encounter on Tuesday evening at FNB Stadium.
Amakhosi had no victory in their last nine league matches of the 2024/25 season, overall claiming eight wins, only one more than Cape Town City (after the expulsion of Royal AM), who were relegated in the promotion-relegation play-offs.
