Kaizer Chiefs' false start to the New Year has continued for the seventh consecutive calendar year, with the last three years seemingly ominous for the side based in Naturena.
Judging by the previous seven years, or more pertinently the last three years, perhaps it was not surprising that Chiefs started 2025 with a 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City.
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It has become a trend for the men in Black and Gold to restart in the new year on the back foot, as they were also not up to standard this time last year.
They opened with a goalless draw against Royal AM, were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup in the first round on penalties by second-tier side Milford following a goalless draw after extra time and had another stalemate against Moroka Swallows in their first three matches.
The start of 2023 was even worse, as they lost their first three fixtures of the New Year - a 1-0 loss to Sekhukhune United, a 4-0 drubbing by AmaZulu FC, followed by another narrow 1-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns.
A year prior, at the beginning of 2022, Amakhosi also had challenges turning into the New Year, as they opened with a 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy and also had a 0-0 stalemate against the Citizens in their following match.
The start of 2021 was on a similar track, as they got the ball rolling with a 2-0 defeat to Maritzburg United, while the year before, the Soweto giants had also started with a 2-1 loss against SuperSport United.
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The beginning of 2019 and 2018 also was a false start, losing 2-1 to Sundowns and playing to a goalless draw against Matsatsantsa.
The last time the Glamour Boys started a New Year with a win was seven years ago, in 2017, under Steve Komphela, when they thrashed Free State Stars 3-1, as part of a five-game winning run that started in December 2016.