Motaung Explains Why Da Cruz Will Not Leave Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup after losing 3-2 on penalties to Red Arrows in the second leg of the second preliminary round at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday.

Amakhosi went into the match needing to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit following their defeat in Ndola, Zambia, the previous week. Although they managed to level the tie through Bradley Cross, they could not find a second goal to secure qualification and eventually lost in the penalty shootout.

Chiefs started the match with an attacking approach as they looked to score early and put pressure on the visitors. They pushed forward whenever they had possession, hoping to find a breakthrough that would give them a chance of progressing to the next round.

However, their attacking urgency also left them vulnerable to counter-attacks from the Zambian side. Red Arrows looked to take advantage whenever they won possession, but they struggled to create clear scoring opportunities in the opening stages.

In the 11th minute, Chiefs came close to taking the lead when Thulani Mabaso found space inside the box. However, Red Arrows goalkeeper Charles Kalumba produced an important save to deny him and keep the score level.

Fernando Da Cruz’s men continued to press forward but found it difficult to break down the visitors’ well-organised defence. Red Arrows also attempted to create chances of their own, but neither side managed to score before the half-time break.

Chiefs returned for the second half with renewed determination, continuing to search for the goal that would bring them level on aggregate. Pule Mmodi came close in the 62nd minute with a quick shot, but Kalumba once again made the save.

Four minutes later, Chiefs finally found the breakthrough. Cross rose inside the box and headed the ball into the net, levelling the aggregate score at 1-1 and giving the home supporters hope of seeing their team progress.

Amakhosi continued pushing for a second goal in the closing stages. Shabalala had two clear opportunities to secure the victory before the final whistle, but he failed to convert either chance.

With the aggregate score still level, the match went to a penalty shootout. Red Arrows proved more successful from the spot, winning 3-2 and ending Chiefs’ hopes of advancing further in the competition.

The elimination has raised questions about the team’s performance, but Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung has reportedly backed head coach Fernando Da Cruz despite the club’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup.

Motaung insisted that Da Cruz would not be leaving his position, pointing out that even Mamelodi Sundowns had suffered elimination from the CAF Champions League despite investing heavily in quality players. He added that winning and losing are part of football, suggesting that Chiefs should not make a coaching change based on one disappointing result.

The reported backing indicates that Chiefs are prepared to give Da Cruz an opportunity to continue his work despite the setback. The coach will now have to focus on improving the team’s performances and helping the players recover from a disappointing night in Durban.

For Chiefs supporters, the immediate disappointment will be difficult to forget, especially after the team fought back to level the tie and had opportunities to win the match before penalties. However, the club must now turn its attention to its remaining domestic fixtures and work towards delivering more consistent results.

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