AmaZulu vs Arrows KZN Derby to be held in KwaMashu despite Soweto Derby attention

The first Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K race promises to be an exciting event with the participation of elite male and female athletes in the City of Roses. As is customary in this popular series organized by Stillwater Sports, the country's top runners will face competition from invited East African participants.

Among the South African representatives are expected to be athletes such as Kabelo Mulaudzi and Steven Mokoka, who should carry the flag of South Africa amidst fierce competition from Kenyan runners, such as Felix Kibet Masai.

Arthur Jantjes, winner of the first Nelson Mandela Marathon in Cape Town, intends to demonstrate his effectiveness over shorter distances, having been the champion of the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon.

Women's Race

In the women's race, Glenrose Haba will once again represent South Africa, aiming to prevent Deborah Chemutai and Jacqueline Rotich from winning for Kenya.

Haba may be targeting the World Athletics Half Marathon Championship next year, but she showed her speed by winning the Boxer Durban 5k race last week, despite intensive preparation for the 21.1 km distance.

Another runner arriving in Mangaung with high confidence is Neheng Katala from Lesotho, who also won last week. The Hollywood Athletics Club star won the Hollywoodbets Joburg 10k on Sunday, although it remains unclear if she can participate in the race competitively given the challenging route in Soweto.

There is also local runner and favorite of South African road running, Gerda Stein, who eagerly awaits participation in the race in her home province.

Gerda Stein stated: 'When October 25th comes, I hope to perform well at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K. I hope the crowd and strong competition around me will motivate me. My goal is to squeeze out the maximum from myself on race day that I can expect.'

Focus on Mulaudzi

However, most attention will be focused on Mulaudzi. The runner from Boxer Athletics Club finally won this year at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K race exactly one month ago.

After an impressive run where he finished in 28:48, he stated: 'I fought this year, so I wanted to defend my title because everyone forgot about me. I am happy to be back. This is my first win this year and in this series. I am very happy.'

He aims to become the first winner of the Mangaung race and solidify his status as the king of the Absa series, having won four out of five races last year.

However, Mulaudzi will not be alone in the fight; Kibet has made it clear that he accepts nothing but victory. The Two Oceans half marathon winner, Kibet, participated in the debut Absa RUN YOUR CITY race in Durban, where he placed ninth, and decided to return to experience these well-organized events once more.

He returned in significantly improved condition, lowering his personal record to an impressive 27:19 in Prague last month. Kibet noted: 'I am very satisfied with my results in Prague. After that personal record, I knew I would focus on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY series. I look forward to a good performance and taking a spot on the podium.'

The Kaiser Chiefs team faced the need to overcome a deficit after a 1-0 defeat to Red Arrows from Zambia in the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, which took place on Saturday.

The visitors conceded a goal in the 76th minute of the match at Levi Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, meaning they will have to work on themselves in the return match if they want to advance to the group stage.

Chiefs, who qualified through walkover in the first preliminary round, hoped to start their continental campaign positively. Instead, they return to South Africa needing a win after failing to hold off the hosts in the final minutes of the game.

This loss also compounds a difficult week for the Soweto giants, who drew 1-1 with Stellenbosch FC in the Betway Premiership mid-week.

On the trip to Zambia, Chiefs made only one substitution: Luke Bartman replaced Vandile Dubu in attack. Due to a shortage of injured midfielders, Riv Froesler played again in the center of the field alongside Sibongiseni Mtethwa, as the visiting team sought to demonstrate disciplined play away from home.

Although Chiefs seemed to hold Red Arrows for most of the match, their inability to deal with a corner kick came at a high cost. The hosts capitalized on the corner kick in the 76th minute to open the scoring and gain a slight advantage before the return match.

For Chiefs, the late conceded goal will be particularly frustrating, given the importance of maintaining balance in this confrontation before the second leg. Now Amakhosi must quickly regroup and find a way to break down the Red Arrows' defense when the teams meet again at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday, October 23rd.

Since a spot in the Confederation group stage is at stake, Chiefs will require more decisive play in front of goal, as well as an improvement in their defensive organization. The 1-0 scoreline keeps the contest open, but now the pressure is entirely on the Soweto side to succeed at home.

The young Kaizer Chiefs footballer, Mfundo Vilakazi, is determined to achieve victory in Zambia as the team prepares to face Red Arrows in the CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday.

The match will take place at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, with the first match of the second preliminary round scheduled for 15:00. Vilakazi, affectionately known as 'Obrigado,' is confident that Chiefs are ready for the challenge despite the high temperature in Zambia.

He told the club's official website: 'Training went well. It is very hot here, but we will manage. I think we are ready for tomorrow.' The twenty-year-old player draws inspiration from his past experience at this arena, when Chiefs defeated ZESCO United in the group stage of the Confederation Cup last season.

This familiarity with the venue helped strengthen his conviction that Amakhosi are capable of achieving another positive result in Ndola, aiming to establish a strong position before the return leg.

Vilakazi noted: 'Last time we played here, we won, so I think we should do the same again.' Chiefs hope to leverage their experience to advance to the tournament's group stage after failing to pass this hurdle last season.

Nevertheless, Vilakazi understands that the challenge posed by Red Arrows cannot be underestimated, as Chiefs have already studied their opponents ahead of the meeting. He stated: 'We saw some of them during our video session. They are a good team, and we will not underestimate them.'

The midfielder's comments reflect the focused approach of the 'Soweto giants,' who aim to secure an away win before the return match in Durban. Furthermore, Vilakazi gained international recognition after a recent call-up to the South Africa U20 national team.

While this recognition is an important step in his development, the young Chiefs player insists that his immediate priority remains helping the club fulfill its demanding continental assignment. He emphasized: 'I am very happy about it, but for now, I am fully focused on my club and what we need to do.'

For Vilakazi, the Saturday fixture provides another opportunity to demonstrate his growing maturity and contribute to Chiefs' continental ambitions. Amakhosi will require discipline, concentration, and composure against the Red Arrows team, which intends to utilize the home advantage. Thanks to the confidence drawn from Vilakazi's previous success at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Chiefs hope this experience will help them secure the first-leg advantage they are striving for.