The signing of Flavio Silva by Kaizer Chiefs will bring to the spotlight the club’s desperate bid to finally have a double figure striker after five years of misfiring.
Chiefs have not had a player reaching double figures on the league scoring charts for five years in a row.
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Last season, Wandile Duba and Glody Makabi Lilepo managed five each to lead the league scoring charts at Chiefs, while the season before, Ashley Du Preez, Ranga Chivaviro, Christian Saile Basomboli, and Pule Mmodi all had four.
Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana led with seven in the 2022/23 campaign.
The 2021/22 had Keagan Dolly on eight, which was the same number reached by Lebogang Manyama in leading the charts the previous season.
In the period since the Soweto giants last won the league, they have only had one player – Samir Nurkovic – getting into double scoring figures in the league.
This was in the 2019/20 campaign when the Serbian scored 13 in the league, and the evidence of the difference those goals made was clear as they only missed out on the title on the last day.
Besides that one season, it has been so bad that four goals have been enough for one to be the top scorer in the league at Amakhosi.
Willard Katsande was even the top scorer in the league for 2025/16.
So, Flavio will be tasked with changing the club’s fortunes up front.
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Though the Guinea Bissau-born striker struggled to make an impact in the Second Division in Portugal with 17 goals in eight years, plus none during his time in Luxemborg, he has been effective in Indonesia’s Liga 1.
The 29-year-old scored nine goals in 33 appearances last season for Persebaya Surabaya after hammering 23 the previous season while at Persik Kediri.
Of note is that Indonesia’s top league is not even in the top 10 leagues in Asia.
Chiefs' top scorers in the league since Collins Mbesuma left:
2024/25 – Wandile Duba, Glody Makabi Lilepo – 5 each
2023/24 – Pule Mmodi, Christian Saile Basomboli, Ranga Chivaviro, Ashley du Preez – 4 each
2022/23 – Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana – 7
2021/22 – Keagan Dolly – 8
2020/21 – Lebogang Manyama – 8
2019/20 – Samir Nurkovic – 13
2018/19 – Khama Billiat – 5
2017/18 – Bernard Parker, Gustavo Paez, Ryan Moon – 4
2016/17 – Siphiwe Tshabalala – 7
2015/16 – Willard Katsande – 7
2014/15 – George Lebese, Mandla Masango, Bernard Parker – 7
2013/14 – Bernard Parker – 10
2012/13 – Bernard Parker – 12
2011/12 – Lehlohonolo Majoro – 10
2010/11 – Knowledge Musona – 15
2009/10 – Nkosinathi Nhleko, Siphiwe Tshabalala – 6
2008/09 – Siphiwe Tshabalala – 6
2007/08 – Mabhudi Khenyeza – 8
2006/07 – Kaizer Motaung Jnr – 12
2005/06 – Gert Schalkwyk – 6
Photo: Kaizer Chiefs
