Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Cedric Kaze has given an update on the three players who will miss the Kabuscorp SCP clash in the CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday.
In a crucial Confed Cup clash, Chiefs host the Angolan side at FNB Stadium in Soweto for the second leg of their first preliminary round tie with kickoff set for 15h00.
Amakhosi must overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Luanda if they want to advance to the next stage of the competition. Compounding their challenge is a recent dip in form; the Soweto giants haven’t won in three games after a promising start to their campaign.
They claimed four wins and a draw against Mamelodi Sundowns in their opening five league games. However, the momentum stalled following the suspension of coach Nasreddine Nabi, which coincided with a 3-1 loss to Sekhukhune United in the league. The team’s struggles continued with a narrow loss in Luanda against Kabuscorp and a 1-1 home draw with Marumo Gallants in their most recent game in the Betway Premiership.
WHICH THREE PLAYERS WILL MISS KABUSCORP CLASH?
Amakhosi will have to do without the services of the trio of Khanyisa Mayo, Siphesihle Ndlovu and Paseka Mako.
Kaze, who was addressing the media at FNB Stadium during the Chiefs’ media open day on Friday afternoon, has since explained the situation with the three players.
“After the last game against Marumo Gallants, unfortunately, Mayo cannot feature,” Kaze said. “Khanyisa Mayo is not registered yet [for the CAF Confederations Cup]. The deadline passed before he came to us, and tomorrow [Saturday]we will be without Paseka Mako and Siphesihle [Ndlovu], who were injured in the last game.”
In the absence of Mayo, who opened his Chiefs scoring account in his debut against Gallants, Glody Lillepo is likely to start.
Kaze and first assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef have Bradley Cross and Nkanyiso Shinga at left-back. In midfield, Ndlovu, who started the midweek clash, could be replaced by Thabo Cele.
Meanwhile, Chiefs captain Zitha Kwinika expressed confidence that they will emerge victorious. “I think tomorrow the boys are ready. We’re definitely going to do what’s right for us, for the team, for the badge, and mostly for the country. So the focus is we’re going to win the game tomorrow,” Kwinika told the media.
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