Kaizer Chiefs look to bounce back in crucial CAF clash against Kabuscorp

Kaizer Chiefs are eager to improve their results in the must-win CAF Confederation Cup second-leg preliminary qualifier against Kabuscorp on Saturday afternoon, following a rough patch that has engulfed the club.

Chiefs will host Kabuscorp at FNB Stadium (3pm kick-off) on the back of a 1-0 loss in the first leg of the qualifiers at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Angola last Saturday.

Their winless run—which included a defeat to Betway Premiership log leaders Sekhukhune United a week ago—continued on Wednesday night as they drew 1-1 with Marumo Gallants at home.

Chiefs have hit hard times in recent days, as the club and coach Nasreddine Nabi are at loggerheads over a settlement. The two parties are reportedly set to part ways due to issues of mistrust and licensing.

So when Chiefs’ stand-in coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze failed to guide the team to a win over Gallants—despite taking the lead through debutant Khanyisa Mayo, whose goal was cancelled out by Jaison Clifford—it mounted serious pressure on the team.

The draw also meant they failed to close the gap on leaders Sekhukhune and second-place Mamelodi Sundowns, who drew and lost earlier and later in the day, respectively.

However, Ben Youssef, speaking during the post-match press conference, said they were taking positives from their performance against Gallants ahead of the clash against Kabuscorp, though they were disappointed with the result.

“We discussed in the meeting before the game the importance of the match,” Ben Youssef revealed. “We needed to regain confidence in the team and go back to the Top 2 spot on the log.

“Like I said, the performance was good, but the result wasn’t. So we need to look forward now because this game is finished. We have to think about the next one. Every game is like a cup final, so we need to play to win. Inshallah, we’ll get better.”

Chiefs’ winless streak contrasts with how they started the season—winning four games and drawing one before the FIFA break. As a result, some fans believe they’ve hit turbulence that will be difficult to navigate, especially with the ongoing coaching uncertainty.

But Ben Youssef is not worried about the team potentially regressing, reiterating that there’s still a lot they can build on—including their performances.

“We didn’t win the last three games, but the most important thing for us is the performance more than the result,” he said. “When you produce good performances, the results will follow.

“But if the performances aren’t good, then we’ll start worrying about the state of the team. But like I said, I don’t have anything to blame the players for. They played very well today—we were just unlucky not to score more goals. So, we’ll continue to work and prepare for the next one.”

The technical team, players, and supporters will hope that Mayo continues his scoring start at the club, while Gaston Sirino bounces back from Wednesday’s lacklustre performance and help the team reach the second round of the qualifiers.

Sirino missed a penalty and a sitter against Gallants, resulting in him being booed by the fans, who also called for him to be substituted.

When the technical team heeded the call and pulled Sirino off in the second half, some fans applauded the Uruguayan - a gesture Ben Youssef believes will help him recover and contribute going forward.

“Sorry, I saw something different,” Ben Youssef argued. “When we made the substitution, the fans were happy for Sirino, shouting ‘Sirino, Sirino’.

“Sirino is a big player, and one of the most important in the team. He has experience. He’s not the first player to miss a penalty, and he won’t be the last. He tried to convert the spot-kick, but the Marumo Gallants goalkeeper saved it.

“We’ll continue to work, but like I said, Sirino is confident. We know his qualities, and he’ll help the team going forward.”