Kaizer Chiefs ready to face Zamalek in crucial CAF Confederation Cup clash

Kaizer Chiefs defender Zitha Kwinika says they will leave no stone unturned in their final CAF Confederation Cup group stage match away to Zamalek, as they aim to secure a campaign of growth and progress by advancing to the knockout stage.

Chiefs will face the White Knights in the final group stage match at Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia on Saturday (6pm, kick-off).

Anything other than a loss will guarantee Chiefs’ progression to the knockout stage. Amakhosi are currently top of Group D with 10 points, two ahead of second-placed Zamalek and three ahead of third-placed Al Masry.

“It’s a very important game for us – we know what’s at stake,” Kwinika told the club’s media team in Cairo on Thursday. “We are ready for that, and we are definitely going to do what’s best for us: win.”

Kwinika is under no illusion about Zamalek’s quality. The Pharaohs may be coming off a shock 1-0 defeat to Zesco United in the penultimate group stage match, but they remain a formidable side, particularly at home, where they will be buoyed by their fans.

According to reports, the White Knights are set to have several key players – Ahmed Fatouh, Abdallah El Said, Chico Banza, Seifeddine Jaziri, Omar Gaber, Mahmoud Bentayg, Juan Bezerra, and Mohamed Sobhi – available after missing the clash in Zambia.

Chiefs, meanwhile, will be without Aden McCarthy and Inacio Miguel, who are suspended and injured, respectively. Both were also excluded from the 23-man squad that departed South Africa on Wednesday night.

“They are a very good team,” Kwinika said of Zamalek. “But obviously, every team at home is dangerous. We need to be aware of that. We need to understand that at times we’ll suffer, so we need to manage those moments. But I am sure that with the quality we have, we are going to compete.”

Kwinika has every reason to be confident. Since losing their opening match to Al Masry, Chiefs have gradually improved, recording positive results against Zamalek, Zesco United (back-to-back), and Al Masry.

“I think the journey has been difficult for us,” Kwinika reflected. “In the first game we had to adjust, and the boys grew from that. We lost the first game, then got a draw, and then managed three wins in a row. That shows the progress of the team – we are getting better in the competition, game by game.”

While Chiefs are excited to be on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stage of a continental competition for the first time since 2021, co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze have expressed frustration over the lack of support from the PSL, which still expects them to fulfil their domestic fixtures week in and week out.

Kwinika emphasised that the team has embraced the challenge of competing on multiple fronts and is not making excuses.

“I am okay. This is what we signed up for. We knew what’s at stake and the schedule. It’s a matter of getting there and doing our best,” he said. “We are recovering, and the coaches are giving us as much rest as possible. We are taking that and preparing for the game.”

Having recently renewed their partnership with Carling Black Label, the famous beer that earned its nickname “Zamalek” after the Egyptian giants face Chiefs in the Champions League more than three decades ago, some Amakhosi faithful will relish nothing more than sipping a cold “Zamalek” on Valentine’s Day while watching their team beat the Pharaohs in their own backyard.