Kick Off

Football’s fight for survival

When the Chinese first confirmed that health authorities in the city of Wuhan were treating dozens of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause, South Africa was readying to bring in the New Year.

It was December 31 when the world first learnt that researchers in China had identified a new virus and that authorities were monitoring it to avoid a possible outbreak.

But Kaizer Chiefs would have turned towards the New Year in buoyant mood, oblivious – like the rest of us – to the calamity to come.

A 10-point lead at the start of 2020 held out the promise of taking the Absa Premiership title … and bringing an end to the trophyless streak that proven an increasing strain on their psyche over the previous seasons.

Never before had Chiefs, so used to perennial success, been so

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