Time to seal the deal, Chiefs

It is Kaizer Chiefs' night to savour and Stuart Baxter's moment to bask in his quick success in his first season with Amakhosi, who have toiled for eight years without a Premier League title.

Amakhosi face Supersport United tonight at the Peter Mokaba Stadium and need only a point to be crowned Absa Premiership champions.

Following Ted Dumitru's league triumph in 2005, Ernst Middendorp, Muhsin Ertugral and Vladimir Vermezovic failed to emulate the Romanian, and Chiefs had to take drastic steps after ending the previous season without a trophy. In came Baxter.

The coach has made it clear it will be business as usual against Supersport tonight despite his absence from the dugout through suspension. Former Amakhosi midfielder and Baxter's assistant, Doctor Khumalo, will be in charge.

The match is also a dress rehearsal for the Nedbank Cup final between the two teams in 10 days' time. So, the fans expected at Peter Mokaba Stadium should not worry - the clash is likely to produce sparks despite Chiefs having all but both hands on the trophy.

"We've got to respect football. We've still got to turn up and give a good account of ourselves and give it our best against Supersport," Baxter said this week. Questions have been asked on whether the Englishman will rest key players for tonight's league match ahead of the cup final. This match, along with Chiefs' final match of the season against AmaTuks on Saturday, is significant for a few individuals.

Bernard Parker, Amakhosi's leading goal scorer with 12 strikes, will not be happy until he is back at the top of the scorers' charts, and only has two games to upstage Katlego Mashego.

The Moroka Swallows forward has scored one more goal than Parker so far this season, and he, too, is eager to win the Golden Boot at the end of the season.

At the back, goalkeeper and captain Itumeleng Khune will not want to sit out a match Chiefs need to at least draw to seal the Premiership. And that goes for the rest of the Amakhosi players who have been regulars throughout the season. On a day when emotions could get the better of the team, Chiefs will do well to show they can finish strong.

Baxter's men return to league action still licking their wounds following a 3-1 defeat against Ajax Cape Town on May 1. Practically winning the league without kicking a ball at the weekend has only eased the pain.

There's a record to preserve for Chiefs as well tonight, having only lost twice in 28 league games. Getting back to winning ways will also prove Baxter can sustain the team's performance next season when they gear up to defend their title, which has proved a tough ask for Roger de Sa at rivals Pirates.