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Etiosa Ighodaro, Kaizer Chiefs, October 2025Backpage
James Freemantle

Are Kaizer Chiefs' goal-scoring woes down to tactical ineptitude or transfer blunders?

As we reach the halfway mark of another PSL season, old failings are emerging for the Glamour Boys as they struggle to find cohesion in the final third. Is this a recruitment problem, a tactical issue or perhaps a complex combination of both?

Kaizer Chiefs have only outscored half of the PSL's 16 clubs this season after finding the net 13 times in 12 league outings.

In isolation, that's not necessarily the end of the world, as their defensive stats are looking much better now than in previous campaigns. 

However, this could point to a lack of cohesion and chemistry in front of goal. It could also highlight a deeper flaw in their recruitment strategy.

Are Chiefs' striker signings failing them, or is the club's technical staff not providing them a proper platform from which to shine?

Here, GOAL looks at several attacking options and how they're coping, or not coping, with the rigours of top-flight football in South Africa.

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  • Flavio Da Silva, Kaizer ChiefsBackpagepix

    Kaizer Chiefs huff and puff but fail to blow the Chippa house down

    It's now three matches without a win across all competitions after Chiefs fired blanks against basement club Chippa United. It wasn't for a lack of trying, however. Chiefs fielded a front four of Mfundo Vilakazi, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Asanele Velebayi and Flavio Silva from the start. They also threw Mdu Shabalala, Pule Mmodi, Etiosa Ighodaro and Khanyisa Mayo on when desperately looking for a goal. 

    Too many cooks can often spoil the broth. None of these attack-minded players could find a way through a surprisingly stubborn defence. The Glamour Boys fired 17 shots at Dumisani Msibi's goal, finding the target with five of them, registering a healthy xG of 1.55. 

    The chance-creation is there, but the finishing is still wanting. 

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  • Cedric Kaze, Kaizer Chiefs, November 2025Backpage

    Chiefs' defence is looking good, but the attack is toothless

    One of the hallmarks of a good football team is a cohesive defensive unit. Chiefs have only shipped six goals in 12 league games so far this season, an exemplary defensive record only bettered by Orlando Pirates who have conceded five. However, 13 goals scored in 12 PSL outings means they're only returning an average of 1.08 goals per game.

  • Kaizer Motaung Jr, Khanyisa Mayo and Thabo Cele, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Bluntness in attack isn't a new problem

    Chiefs scored 25 goals in 28 league matches last term, making them only the eighth-most prolific team in the division. They managed the same tally in 2023/24 in 30 matches. Scoring less than a goal per game isn't good enough for a side hoping to get into the title picture. 

    Chiefs finished tenth in 2023/24 and ninth in 2024/25. It's difficult to see them finishing much higher than that if they complete another campaign with fewer than a goal per game on average. 

    At the start of the campaign, Chiefs brought in Etiosa Ighodaro, Asanele Velebayi, Luke Baartman, Flavio Silva and Khanyisa Mayo on loan. Silva has scored four times from 10 appearances, a pretty healthy return.

    However, the other four arrivals have mustered a total of two goals between them (Mayo and Ighodaro have one apiece). 

    It's a chronic issue and can't be laid solely at the feet of co-coaches Ben Youssef and Kaze. However, it's their problem until at least the end of the season. 

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  • Mfundo Vilakazi, Mduduzi Shabalala and Thabiso Monyane, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Vilakazi and Shabalala can't be relied on for big goal numbers

    Fans need to be patient with youth development favourites Mfundo Vilakazi and Mduduzi Shabalala.

    Vilakazi is no longer a teenager, but 'Obrigado' still needs to turn himself into a first-team regular, with only eight appearances from 12 league matches this season. The issue for him is that he's competing with so many other wide attackers for a place in the side.

    21-year-old Shabalala has settled into the number 10 role and is starting to deliver on the hype in that creative role. He'll never be the most prolific, but a sustained run of games behind the strikers could help Chiefs become a more cohesive unit at the sharp end of the pitch. 

    In an ideal world, both of these players will end up scoring double figures for goals and help alleviate the enormous pressure on the shoulders of the club's management, and indeed, the out-and-out strikers.

    That will take some time, though.

  • Khanyisa Mayo of Kaizer ChiefsBackpagepix

    Loan signing Mayo is not the solution, existing options also underwhelm

    Never fall in love with a loan player, as the saying goes. However, there's not much danger of that happening in the case of Khanyisa Mayo if he continues to underwhelm in front of goal. 

    Wandile Duba, Pule Mmodi and Ashley du Preez have made 31 appearances for the club between them this season, with a sum total of zero goals to show for their efforts. 

    To further reinforce the point, they've played 1,622 minutes between them and all three have failed to find the back of the net in any competition. 

  • Flavio Silva of Kaizer ChiefsBackpagepix

    Flavio is the only Silva lining, Lilepo shows promise

    Flavio Silva has been by far the club's most efficient attacker this term.

    The 29-year-old has four goals from six PSL appearances. Two of those strikes were match-winners in away clashes, against Golden Arrows and Durban City. 

    Makabi Glody Lilepo has also impressed in fleeting moments during his second campaign with the club. It's also a bit of an indictment that their second-top scorer in the league after 12 matches has three goals. 

  • Puso Dithejane, TS Galaxy, November 2025Backpage

    TS Galaxy's Puso Dithejane has a point to prove

    Chiefs' final PSL match of the calendar year is away to TS Galaxy. 

    The Rockets have had a relatively indifferent first half of the campaign after a creditable fifth-placed finish last term. They currently sit eighth, three points behind Chiefs, having also played an extra game.

    Former Amakhosi youth star Puso Dithejane was a key first-team regular at Galaxy in 2024/25, making 27 league appearances, scoring twice and laying on three assists. 

    This term, the versatile 21-year-old has taken his output up a notch with four goals and four assists from 12 starts in the league. It's ironic that he's level with Silva, Chiefs' top scorer, and Chiefs let him go so easily in 2023. He's also not even a striker. 

    Galaxy hosts Chiefs on Sunday, 7 December at 15:30. It could be a watershed moment for the hosts and another frustrating afternoon that provides more questions than answers for the goal-shy visitors. 

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