SuperSport United midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu has reserved special praise for Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi for the impact he has made at Naturena ahead of the two side’s meeting at FNB Stadium on Tuesday (19:30).

Matsatsantsa will travel to the Calabash where they will battle for crucial three points against the Soweto giants, to complete a league double over Nabi’s men after claiming a 1-0 win in Tshwane last year in October.

However, the Spartans head into the encounter in horrendous form as they are winless in their last six Betway Premiership outings with four defeats and two draws. Gavin Hunt’s charges last won a league match in mid-December 2024 – a slender 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Magesi FC.

While they can get over the line in the Nedbank Cup, the former Orlando Pirates midfielder acknowledges their poor league run that has them in 12th place on the table and insists their main focus is to improve on that standing.

“We are not that great at the moment, to be honest. I know we have won in the cup but in the league, we are not doing so great. So, I think that’s where the mandate is for us at the moment and we’re looking forward to our game,” said Ndlovu.

Meanwhile, with a clash against Amakhosi on the horizon, Ndlovu says he respects the Chiefs mentor for the work he has done so far, highlighting the notable improvements. The 28-year-old anticipates a tough match.

“I give all the respect to their coach because when you look at them and analyze how they are playing now, it’s different from when we played them before. Even the game that we lost against them 4-0 [in the Carling Knockout Cup], we probably should have won by five goals, but we lost,” he added.

“So, now how they’ve changed things and also brought in new players, it changes a little bit because different personnel bring different outcomes in the game.”

On Tashreeq Morris, who was the difference for SuperSport when the two teams met in the first leg before completing a move to Chiefs in the January transfer window, the midfield maestro says there’s no tailor-made plan for the striker as Nabi has enough firepower in his arsenal.

“You can’t have a special plan for only one player because when you look at them currently, they don’t have one creator, one goal scorer. So, we’re expecting a whole lot of things, for it’s just to go in and work as a team, also plan for the team,” continued Ndlovu, who has made 18 appearances this term.”

The player also touched on Matsatsantsa’s goal-scoring woes saying, “I think it’s just luck, we are lacking luck, but we’ve got players who can do that [score goals] and we are creating opportunities. We just need luck on our side and then we can be up there, be there in the top four.”

Ndlovu has become a vital cog for SuperSport since joining the club on a permanent deal in July 2023 following a season-loan from Pirates in the 2022/23 campaign as he was deemed surplus to requirements upon Jose Riveiro’s arrival.