“Their Problem, Not Ours” – Ben Youssef Hits Back At Claims Chiefs Will Decide Title Race Destination
Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef has downplayed suggestions that Amakhosi could influence the Betway Premiership title race between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, emphasising that his side remains focused solely on its own performances, results, and points tally.
Pirates currently lead the standings with 59 points from 26 matches, while Sundowns are just one point behind on 58 and have a crucial game in hand against Polokwane City on Wednesday evening. A victory for Sundowns would see them return to the top of the table, highlighting the intensity of the title race between the two sides.
With Chiefs recently involved in a high-profile Soweto Derby that ended in a 1–1 draw, and still set to face Sundowns, Amakhosi have inevitably been drawn into conversations about potentially influencing the destination of the league title.
However, Ben Youssef dismissed such claims, making it clear that his side’s priorities lie strictly within their own control rather than external outcomes.
“Trust me, we only care about ourselves—our performances and results,” he said.
“We don’t care who wins the league; that is their concern. For us, we approach every game to win, and in every press conference I say that we treat each match like a cup final.
“The most important thing for us is to reach the maximum number of points, and then we will see which position we finish in.”
Shifting focus to his team, the former AS FAR assistant coach highlighted their strong recent run of form, pointing to the encouraging performances in recent weeks.
Amakhosi are currently unbeaten in their last seven matches, with five wins and two draws, and will look to extend that streak when they face Siwelele at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday.
This consistent improvement has lifted Chiefs to third place on the table with 47 points, strengthening their push for a CAF Confederation Cup spot next season.
The current 47-point haul is already higher than Chiefs’ total points at the end of the 2024/25 season, proving the “consistent improvement” Ben Youssef mentions.
“I think if you remember one press conference, we said that I am very happy with the performances, and I am sure the team will improve,” he added.
“At the beginning of the season, we were unfortunate because we were creating many chances but not scoring.
“The second issue was a lack of consistency in the squad, which caused a lot of problems. In almost every game, we had injuries or suspensions.
“There is no team in the world that can rotate constantly and still perform well, but in these past seven matches, we have had a more consistent squad.
“The performances are now there, and the results are also coming. The most important thing for us is to keep fighting until the end of the season.”
