Kaizer Chiefs battled to a goalless draw against AS Simba in the first-leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Second Preliminary Round tie on Saturday afternoon in Lubumbashi. The stalemate at the packed Stade TP Mazembe means the tie remains finely balanced heading into the second-leg.
The match was a tale of missed chances, with neither side converting their hard-earned opportunities.
Chiefs started nervously, pushed onto the backfoot by a determined Simba side. Yet, the Soweto outfit absorbed the pressure and eventually carved out a few meaningful chances just before the halftime whistle.
The Glamour Boys returned to action following the conclusion of the FIFA international break, during which Bafana Bafana qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Chiefs travelled to the DRC to face AS Simba in the Confed Cup, aiming to return to winning after an inconsistent run of form in the past few matches.
In the last two matches in all competitions, Chiefs played to a 1-1 draw against AmaZulu FC in the Betway Premiership at FNB Stadium and fell short in the 2025 Carling Knockout Cup. They lost 5-4 on penalties against Stellenbosch FC in the Round of 16.
On the brighter side, Chiefs advanced to the next stage of the Confed Cup with a 5-4 win on penalties against Kabuscorp SCP after the two sides played to a 1-1 draw on aggregate in the first preliminary round.
KAIZER KHANYISA MAYO HIT THE CROSSBAR IN CONGO
The 0-0 against Simba comes as Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef aim to steady the ship at Chiefs. The interim duo has taken charge for the remainder of the season following the recent exit of head coach Nasreddine Nabi. Kaze and Ben Youssef, who both arrived in July 2024 as Nabi’s first and second assistants, are now tasked with turning the club’s fortunes around.
It was a gritty, cagey encounter in which Chiefs showed defensive resilience, even as the home crowd put immense pressure on them.
Simba thought they had the opener early on, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside. As the first half wore on, the Amakhosi posed their own threat; Mayo’s powerful strike rattled the crossbar on the cusp of halftime, followed quickly by a rejected appeal for a penalty after Lilepo was challenged in the box.
Amakhosi came agonizingly close to snatching a decisive away goal in the 80th minute. Shortly after coming on, substitute Mfundo Vilakazi unleashed a spectacular free-kick that looked destined for the net, only to be denied by a brilliant, fingertip save from the AS Simba goalkeeper.
With the score remaining locked at 0-0 through a frustrating second half, the tie now moves to Soweto, where Chiefs will have everything to play for at Dobsonville Stadium next Saturday.
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