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The Amakhosi are out to repeat the heroics of last season and have NFD side Black Leopards standing in their way, but Chiefs will be confident of their chances

  PROBABLE LINE-UPS

BLACK LEOPARDS

Visser 

Mabusela, Dzaga, Radebe, Kwena

Gumede, Tshepe, Mandlazi, Miya

Amidu, Sangweni

KAIZER CHIEFS

Khune

Moleko, Mashamaite, Gordinho, Mathoho 

Nkosi, Maluleka, Lebese, Parker

Musona, Mphela

Kaizer Chiefs begin their defence of the Nedbank Cup with a tricky away tie with Black Leopards at the Ptere Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.

Currently fourth in the NFD standings, Leopards will be a tough assignment for the Amakhosi, who have been in superb form in the league, and they will hope to repeat their league and Nedbank Cup double of last season.

The clubs have met in 21 official league and cup matches since 2001/02, with Chiefs claiming 12 wins compared to just five victories for the Limpopo outfit.

The Glamour Boys head into the clash on the back of a comfortable 3-0 PSL win over Bloemfontein Celtic in midweek, making it their 10th win from 11 league games.

Chiefs' new signing Katlego Mphela looks primed to earn his first start, as coach Stuart Baxter looks to nurture the striker back to full fitness.

Chiefs look likely to field a full-strength side, due to their next match only being played next weekend, meaning their players will be able to fully recoverin time for their Caf Champions League game on March 1.

Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick had no excuses for his team's performance in their 5-0 drubbing to Melbourne Heart.

The heavy loss left the Phoenix outside the A-League's top six playoff places and ended a run of good performances that had seen them win six of their past eight matches.

Wellington were off the pace from the start at Westpac Stadium on Sunday and the Heart made the most of the home side's lacklustre display with David Williams scoring a hat-trick after Dutch midfielder Orlando Engelaar fired home an early goal.

Glen Moss's misfortune which saw Robbie Wielaert's 54th minute strike come back off the crossbar and rebound into the goal off the Phoenix keeper's back summed up Wellington's sorry day.

"It was one of those days where everyone had an off day. So the whole team performed very poorly," said Merrick who couldn't remember ever suffering a 5-0 defeat as a coach before.

"Nothing went right. We couldn't get our passing game together. Great credit to the Heart they closed us down. They shut down Carlos (Hernandez). They stopped our midfield and they hit some terrific goals."

Hernandez was industrious throughout the match but couldn't shake the attention of Patrick Gerhardt to really create anything.

Leading goal-scorer Stein Huysegems was also well-marshalled by Jason Hoffman, while Melbourne keeper Andrew Redmayne was equal to everything sent his way.

While Moss could do nothing to stop Engelaar's thunderbolt strike in the ninth minute he was completely out of position on the edge of his area when Williams lobbed him to open his account on 19 minutes.

The Heart striker's second at the start of the second half came on the counter-attack after the Phoenix lost possession in midfield and it was that goal that really broke the home side.

"After that we really struggled," conceded Merrick. Wielaert added the fourth with Moss' assistance just minutes later before Williams rounded off an impressive performance with a lovely curling shot that deflected in off the post.

Merrick refused to use the absence of injured midfielder Albert Riera as an excuse, but the Spaniard was sorely missed.

The Phoenix are also without Paul Ifill (Achilles) and Louis Fenton (shoulder) for the season.

"Injuries have taken their toll but that doesn't allow you to get beaten 5-0," said Merrick.

"That's not a good excuse whatsoever. There are no excuses. We played very poor football."

Heart coach John van 't Schip had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The win broke a 22-away game winless streak and was his side's first success on New Zealand soil.

"If you can win in Wellington in what I think is one of the most difficult games to win for an away team... this result is good," he said.

Mohammedan Sporting came back from behind and overcame a spirited challenge from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to emerge winners in the penalty shootout and clinch the IFA Shield for the first time since 1971.

Playing in front of a frenzy 40,000-odd home support at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, both the teams were locked 1-1 at extra time.

Substitute goalkeeper Naseem Akhtar, who came in place of an injured Luis Barreto in the extra time in a fine move by Mohammedan Sporting coach Sanjoy Sen, thwarted Didarul Haque's spotkick for a 4-3 win in the shootout.

Down 0-1 in the 28th minute after Sony Norde's curling freekick, Mohammedan Sporting made a comeback at the stroke of halftime when Mehrajuddin Wadoo made it 1-1 in the 45+1st minute to spark a celebration.

Both the teams were reduced to 10 players in the 82nd minute when referee Santosh Kumar showed red cards to Luciano Sabrosa of Mohammedan Sporting and Norde of Dhanmondi who were engaged in a tussle.

Having lost Norde in the regulation, it was a big setback for Dhanmondi as Mohammedan Sporting slowly came back into the game.

Both the teams wasted opportunities in the extra time to take the match to the shootout where Khanthang Paite, Manish Maithani, Nirmal Chettri and Wadoo scored for Mohammedan while Joshimar hit the crosspiece.

For Dhanmondi, Wedson Anselme, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Mohammad Yasin Khan converted their chances while Ali Amisu shot away.

Required to block the shot to emerge winners, Mohammedan's stand-in custodian Naseem did just that and denied Didarul a goal to shatter the hopes of the Bangladeshis who had come in large numbers to support the side.

Chasing history to become the first Bangladeshi club to win the 118-year-old title, Dhanmondi looked threatening with their striking trio of Emeka Darlington, Wedson Anselme and Sony Norde in fine form, while Mohammedan Sporting were let down by their disoriented attack.

Mohammedan Sporting had a chance when Manish Maithani led a solo run but his leftfooter went over the bar as it was Dhanmondi who looked more penetrating.

In a 27th minute attack, the referee showed a yellow card to Rakesh Masih outside the box for a bad tackle with Norde.

Norde utilised the freekick to perfection as his curled in freekick swung into the net through the first post to give the Bangladeshi side the upperhand.

Dhanmondi stormed into the final with a thumping 3-0 victory over 28-time champions East Bengal in the semis, while in the group stage they had ousted Mohun Bagan.

Mohammedan Sporting of Dhaka were the last and the only Bangladesh club to make the Shield final in 1995, which was won by East Bengal.

Arsene Wenger used his pre-match press conference ahead of the Liverpool FA Cup game to give updates on player fitness and his thoughts on the title race.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Mathieu Flamini will return to the side for the FA Cup game against Liverpool this weekend.

The Frenchman also revealed that key midfielder Santi Cazorla will be unavailable through injury but should return to the side for the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich next week.

“We have no Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla so Flamini is very welcome back,” said the Frenchman.

Wenger refused to admit to the press that he was using the game against Liverpool as a chance to try out some fringe players, resting key stars for next week revealing that he hasn’t made his mind up on team selection just yet.

“I will play a team with a good chance to qualify. Will I rest one or two players? I don't know yet. You want an opportunity to put things right and we have that opportunity on Sunday,” he added.

Wenger also revealed that the drubbing Liverpool handed the Gunners last weekend makes them the first team that he wants to face while suggesting that Chelsea were the side with everything to lose in the Premier League