With everyone expecting him to redeem himself against his former paymasters Mamelodi Sundowns and propel Kaizer Chiefs to a victory which would have virtually sealed the 2019/20 ABSA Premiership title, Khama Billiat was instead dropped to the bench for the crunch encounter.

Masandawana edged their title rivals 1-0 thanks to a Gaston Sirino first half strike to move level on points with Ernst Middendorp’s charges; blowing wide open the title race in the process.

The elephant in the room as far as Zimbabweans are concerned, was that Billiat was omitted from the starting eleven by the German, a clear testimony of the Warriors star’s current woes at Kaizer Chiefs.

Billiat was replaced at half time in the last game against Stellenbosch, in which his replacement, Zambian striker Lazarous Kambole, rescued a point for Amakhosi.

South African football analyst Shakes Rampedi was not surprised by Middendorp’s decision to drop Billiat for a game of such magnitude.

“I have been singing this song for a while (that Billiat should be dropped). I have been saying it over and over, I felt he should be dropped because he hasn’t been affecting game the way he should,” Rampedi said in a video posted on Twitter just after the Chiefs line up was released.

“I feel he could do more in terms of hurting the opponent offensively and I think Middendorp has also realized,” he added.

Billiat has scored just one goal in the current campaign, a shocking statistic for a player of his calibre and it appears his dark days are far from over.