Chiefs climb early PSL summit as Da Cruz calls for calm before Sundowns test
Kaizer Chiefs have opened the new PSL campaign with back-to-back wins and, for now, sit on top of the early table. The next hurdle is
Kaizer Chiefs have opened the new PSL campaign with back-to-back wins and, for now, sit on top of the early table. The next hurdle is a steep one: Mamelodi Sundowns, the league’s modern benchmark, and assistant coach Da Cruz is asking for restraint, not noise.
“We need to stay quiet,” he said, a line that fits the mood around Naturena as Chiefs try to build momentum without getting swept up in the hype. The message is simple. Keep working. Keep the head down. The mountain is still ahead.
Chiefs on the rise
Chiefs have started well enough to put themselves in the conversation again after a mixed spell that included a late setback against Stellenbosch, when Titus struck late to hand Chiefs a painful loss. This time, though, the results have gone their way. A fresh win over Sekhukhune United pushed them to the early summit.
That matters. Not because August decides a title race, but because early points shape the tone of a season. Chiefs know that better than most. Their support base has been hungry for consistency, and any short burst of form quickly raises the temperature around the club.
Still, one good run does not erase the size of the task ahead. Sundowns remain the reference point in South African football, a side that has repeatedly set the pace and forced everyone else to chase.
Sundowns and Pirates in the wider chase
The broader title picture already carries familiar names. Sundowns reached the summit earlier in the year after Teboho Mokoena’s double crushed Gallants, while Orlando Pirates have also moved to the top at different points, underlining how tight the chase can become once the contenders settle in.
Pirates, too, have had their own stumbles. AmaZulu fought back to hold them at Kings Park, a reminder that away trips in the PSL can still bite. The race is only beginning, but the pattern is clear. No one gets long to breathe.
For Chiefs, the immediate challenge is not just Sundowns’ quality. It is control. Avoid the rush. Stay compact. Find the moments. Against a side that usually punishes loose spells and poor transitions, that discipline will matter more than noise outside the dressing room.
Quiet words, loud stakes
Da Cruz’s call for calm lands at the right time. Chiefs have a chance to measure themselves against the league’s most relentless standard-bearer, and the result could either steady their surge or remind them how far the climb still goes.
For now, the table shows Chiefs at the top. The next match could change the picture again. Sudowns await — and the margin for error is already thin.
