Etiosa Ighodaro are determined to make up for lost time at Kaizer Chiefs after an injury-hit first season limited him to just six appearances.
The 25-year-old striker joined Amakhosi at the beginning of last season but struggled to establish himself as fitness setbacks disrupted his campaign. Now, after a full pre-season, Ighodaro believes he is in a much better position to show Chiefs supporters what he can offer.
“Last season was quite frustrating for me because of injuries,” he said.
“That is behind me now and I am looking forward to a great season. Hopefully, you’ll see the best of me. I am pushing myself hard to make the club and the supporters proud.”
Ighodaro believes the minutes he accumulated during pre-season have played an important role in rebuilding his confidence and physical condition.
“I really benefitted from pre-season because I didn’t play a lot last season, so I needed the minutes in the practice games to build my confidence,” he said.
His focus now turns to breaking his Chiefs scoring duck, with Amakhosi preparing to face Siwelele in the Betway Premiership at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday. Chiefs remain unbeaten after four league matches and have collected eight points, but were held to a 2–2 draw by Richards Bay in their previous outing.
Ighodaro knows there is little room for complacency against a Siwelele side still searching for their first league victory of the season.
“Preparations are going well. We weren’t satisfied with getting only one point in our last game,” he said. “And we are working hard to make sure we don’t slip up on Sunday.”
The striker expects a physical contest against Siwelele, but insists Chiefs are confident of claiming maximum points.
“Siwelele play aggressively with a lot of commitment, so we are ready for their physicality, but we believe in ourselves and our own ability to come out on top.”
For Ighodaro, the fixture provides another opportunity to turn his improved fitness into a meaningful contribution as Fernando da Cruz continues to assess his attacking options. The striker is also encouraged by the support he has received from the Chiefs faithful despite his difficult first campaign.
“To all Amakhosi fans, I am really happy for the support you are giving us. I really appreciate how you fill up the stadiums to get behind us and I hope you keep coming.”
After spending much of last season watching from the sidelines, Ighodaro now has a simple objective — stay fit, earn regular minutes, and finally give Chiefs fans a sustained look at the striker they signed.
Betway Premiership Matchday 5 fixtures
Friday: Marumo Gallants v Polokwane City @ 7.30pm, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; Richards Bay v AmaZulu FC @ 7.30pm, Princess Magogo Stadium
Saturday: Chippa United v Milford FC @ 3pm, Dobsonville Stadium; Sekhukhune United TS Galaxy @ 5.30pm @ Peter Mokaba Stadium
Sunday: Golden Arrows v Mamelodi Sundowns @ 3pm, King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v Siwelele @ FNB Stadium, 5.30pm