Two key areas Nabi wants Chiefs to improve after Cufa Cup victory

Nasreddine Nabi has identified two key areas he wants Kaizer Chiefs to improve after clinching the Cufa Cup via a penalty shootout against Marumo Gallants. Despite the victory, the Tunisian tactician expressed concerns about his team’s performance and highlighted areas for improvement.

The goalless draw in regulation time underscored Nabi’s concerns about the team’s finishing. In the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma emerged as the hero, making two crucial saves to secure the trophy for Amakhosi.

Yusuf Maart, Reeve Frosler, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Inacio Miguel scored their penalties. Under Nabi, they have played three official matches. Two have ended in wins – Gallants [2-1] and AmaZulu [3-1]. The third was a loss at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns [2-1].

Nabi stressed the importance of developing a winning mentality within the squad, emphasising that this attitude should be present in every game, regardless of its significance. Secondly, he stressed the need for his team to improve their finishing and capitalise on scoring opportunities.

WHAT TWO KEY AREAS DOES NABI WANT TO SEE IMPROVE

“It was a very intense game; it was an excellent thing [winning the Cufa Cup], but we created many chances,” Nabi told SABC Sport. He referred to the 2-1 loss to reigning league champions Sundowns, saying they “also created a lot of opportunities” but failed to convert.

“This is a big, big problem [missing scoring opportunities]. I want a winning mentality. There are no friendly games. In friendly games, you need a positive attitude and a winning attitude. In exercises and training, I want to win. If I lose, it’s a problem. I don’t sleep. I want this mentality.”

He also expressed frustration with the team’s inconsistency during the match, allowing Gallants to gain momentum at times. “We lose momentum in the game; we gave the other team the chance to gain control; this is unacceptable,” he said.

Looking ahead, Nabi highlighted the need to refine their penalty shootout strategy, particularly with a crucial Carling Knockout Cup clash against SuperSport United looming. The match is set for the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday [8PM].

“We play cup against SuperSport. This is a very bad reputation. Maybe the SuperSport coach was watching, and if we reach penalties again, I need to change takers.”

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