Kaze urges Kaizer Chiefs to build on CAF momentum

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze says his side must capitalise on the momentum gained from qualifying for the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup, believing the achievement can serve as a platform to build stronger performances for the rest of the season.

Amakhosi sealed their spot in the group stages of Africa’s secondary club competition with a 3-1 aggregate win over DRC outfit AS Simba. With momentum firmly behind them, their attention now turns to the Betway Premiership, where they will look to build on that success and improve their recent run of form.

Chiefs travel to the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night (7.30pm kick-off) to face Durban City in a clash that could provide another opportunity to turn progress into consistency. Having struggled to convert chances this season, Amakhosi have only scored eight goals so far — a statistic that has contributed to their four draws, matches that could easily have turned into victories with more precision in front of goal.

Their three-goal display in continental action will therefore come as a welcome relief, and Kaze has called on his side to build on that momentum as they look to find greater attacking fluency and consistency across all competitions.

“I am very optimistic because we know what we have to do,” Kaze said. 

“In football, when you create chances, you have to score goals. We are going to build momentum from this performance. It was not just about the goals — the overall performance was quite good. It’s now up to us to capitalise on that and keep the momentum alive.”

Continental football brings physical, mental, and logistical challenges. For the Glamour Boys, still finding their footing after difficult seasons and adjusting to life without former coach Nasreddine Nabi, the road ahead may be demanding. 

However, with the positive moves the club made during the off-season, Chiefs now have plenty of depth. Kaze has revealed that every player will have a role to play this season, with the squad also able to draw on the experience of those who have competed at the continental level before.

“Every player will have a part to play this season — not only in the CAF games but also in the league and the Nedbank Cup,” he continued. 

“We need everyone to do their part, especially because we also have experienced players who have played in continental competitions, like (Lebogang) Maboe and (Gaston) Sirino — quite a lot of them, actually. Everyone will be important because you cannot progress if you don’t have a strong group of players.”

The draw for the group stages will take place on next week, and while Chiefs will be hoping for a favorable outcome, Kaze knows there will be no easy fixtures.

“I was checking the teams that have qualified for the group stages — there are some serious sides,” he said. 

“There’s Zamalek and CR Belouizdad, both very strong teams. But we’re happy to go there and compete. Those kinds of games bring valuable experience and belief to the players, showing them that they can make things happen.”