An era surrounded by scrutiny and uncertainty is set to begin as Kaizer Chiefs embark on their final quest to qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage in Lubumbashi on Saturday afternoon.
Chiefs will face AS Simba of the DRC in the first leg of the second-round preliminary qualifiers at Stade TP Mazembe at 3pm. This follows the club’s announcement of their decision to officially part ways with coach Nasreddine Nabi, replacing him with his former assistants Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef for the remainder of the season.
Initially, it seemed that Chiefs, Kaze, and Ben Youssef were a match made in heaven. They had led the team on a five-game unbeaten run in the Betway Premiership — winning four and drawing one — during Nabi’s compassionate leave earlier in the season.
However, the script has since changed. Following Nabi’s suspension in recent weeks — amid allegations of mistrust among the coaching staff and licensing issues — the duo has experienced mixed fortunes, mostly unfortunate ones.
They are winless in their last three league games and recently crashed out of the Carling Knockout in the last 16. Their most notable achievement so far has been reaching the second round of the CAF qualifiers, where they will face Simba.
Given that Chiefs needed a leader with a strong personality and a proven track record, some in the football fraternity — including many Chiefs supporters — believe the club should have either retained Kaze and Ben Youssef as assistants to would be Nabi’s replacement or parted ways with them alongside the Tunisian.
But that’s not what happened. So as Chiefs strive to reach the continental group stages for the first time since their run to the CAF Champions League final in 2020, Kaze and Ben Youssef must now prove they deserve to lead the team.
There would be no better way for the duo to begin this new chapter than by winning convincingly in the DRC capital as away goals could prove crucial in the tie.
“I think it’ll be an advantage for us (to win convincingly) because an away goal will help us when we go back home,” midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi told the club’s media team. “So, I think if we can score two goals away, that will give us a healthier advantage heading back home. We need to score.”
Vilakazi will be one of the players tasked with leading the attack for Chiefs. Despite being just 20 years old, he has already amassed a wealth of experience, having recently represented South Africa at the U20 Fifa World Cup in Chile, where he helped Amajita reach the last 16.
“I gained a lot of experience there,” Vilakazi said. “I learned that I shouldn’t rush decisions. I think that will help me now that I’m back with the team. I’ll be able to score goals and create assists.”
“The experience in Chile was very good. I worked hard and helped the country to win, although we unfortunately lost in the last 16. But I’m very happy with the team’s performance. It was a great experience.”
Already a fan favourite at Chiefs, Vilakazi will be eager to help the team reach the group stage of the Confederation Cup. That would not only endear him further to the fans but also provide a chance to compete against some of the best teams on the continent.
He will also be more motivated to perform well in the coming months in hopes of catching the eye of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos ahead of the AFCON later this year in Morocco, and the World Cup in June in North America.
“I’m very happy to be back,” Vilakazi added. “I’m here to work hard. I’m looking forward to scoring and assisting.”
