Chiefs' barren seven-year trophy drought continues to cause deepening agony at Naturena. As Sundowns further cement their supremacy in domestic football.
The measure of Sundowns’ dominance over Chiefs is so patent that if they lift the Nedbank Cup on May 28 at Royal Bafokeng that will be trophy number 14 won since Amakhosi last tasted silverware.
Sundowns will play Marumo Gallants in that decider, a week after they are handed their 2021/22 DStv Premiership title – the fifth they have won in a row.
Should Sundowns win the Nedbank Cup they will have completed a clean sweep of domestic titles this season.
The Brazilians sit comfortably at the top of the trophy rankings with 23 while Chiefs remain stuck on 20.
Trophy number 24 could be the Nedbank Cup at the end of this month.
When Chiefs were handed the 2014/15 league title on May 9, 2015, Sundowns had only won 10 trophies in the PSL era years with AmaKhosi taking pride in being the definition of success.
However, such has been the pace with which tables have turned with Chiefs now a faded giant with a growing reputation of changing coaches every season instead of lifting trophies.
Through their trophy drought in the last seven years, they have had Steve Komphela, Patrick Mabedi (caretaker), Giovanni Solinas, Ernst Middendorp, Gavin Hunt, Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard (interim), Stuart Baxter with Zwane and Sheppard now temporarily back in charge again.
There is a likelihood of Chiefs appointing a new coach for next season as they continue their search to end their frustrating wait for trophies.
At Chloorkop they will begin next season with the CAF Champions League, DStv Premiership, MTN8 and Nedbank Cup to play for giving them four trophies to hunt down.
Meanwhile, the other third of the PSL big three – Orlando Pirates – remain a distance away with 13 trophies won in the PSL era years, which includes the six they won within two years in the double treble era years.
Pirates have won a single trophy (2020 MTN8) since Chiefs last had a feel of silverware.
They could add the thirteenth if they succeed in the CAF Confederation Cup this month as they already have one foot in the final against either RS Berkane or TP Mazembe.
SuperSport United has 12 trophies.
All the PSL era years have been played with South African football recognised by global governing body FIFA.
- PSL – 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22
- National Cup (Nedbank Cup) – 1998, 2008, 2014/15, 2019/20
- League Cup (Telkom KnockOut) – 1999, 2015, 2019
- Top 8 (MTN8) – 2007, 2021
- CAF Champions League – 2016
- CAF Super Cup – 2017
- PSL – 2003/04, 2004/05, 2012/13, 2014/15
- National Cup (Nedbank Cup) – 2000, 2006, 2012/13
- League Cup (Telkom KnockOut) – 1997/98, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/11
- Top 8 – 2001/02, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2014/15
- CAF Cup Winners’ Cup – 2001
