Former Orlando Pirates coach Roger de Sa has explained why he believes Kaizer Chiefs are the favourites to finish at the top of their group in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Chiefs kick off their CAF Confederation Cup group stage journey on Sunday with a trip to Al-Masry in Egypt, while Group D rivals Zesco United will also be in the country to face Zamalek SC.
The game between Amakhosi and Al-Masry will start at 18:00 at the New Suez Stadium.
De Sa is widely regarded as the man who helped South African football rediscover its ambition in CAF competitions. When local clubs still showed little interest in intercontinental football, he guided Pirates all the way to the 2013 CAF Champions League final, a moment that shifted perceptions across Mzansi.
Since then, South African clubs have consistently made their presence felt on the continent. Mamelodi Sundowns became CAF Champions League winners in 2016, Chiefs reached the Champions League final in 2021, and Pirates made the semi-finals last season while Sundowns lost in the final.
In the CAF Confed Cup, Pirates reached the final in 2015 and 2022, SuperSport United finished runners-up in 2017, while Marumo Gallants and Stellenbosch FC made the semi-finals in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
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Speaking to FARPost from Oman, where he is currently assistant coach of the national team, De Sa didn’t hesitate when assessing Group D.
“I think Kaizer Chiefs have a fantastic opportunity,” he said. “Firstly, the teams are known, all three of them [Zamalek SC, Zesco and Al-Masry]. I know they do have some kind of pedigree in Africa, except Al-Masry. They are a mid-table team in Egypt who had a decent season last year. I know them pretty well; they are sort of mid-table, and that’s about it.
“But I think Chiefs, even with Zamalek, they are not what they’re used to be. They have had so many financial problems. Even from my time in Egypt [as the national team’s assistant coach], they had issues. So they are a club that is always in turmoil. I know for a fact that there are always delays in salaries and other things. So it is a good time to play them. They are no longer the powerhouse of Egyptian football at all. Al Ahly are way, way above Zamalek and even Pyramids FC now; they’ve risen in Egyptian football with their financial backing.”
DE SA DECLARES ZESCO ‘BEATABLE’ AS AFRICAN AWAY FACTOR WANES
According to the ex-PSL coach, Chiefs are in a prime position to defeat Zesco, even though the away match will be tough. He contends that Zesco is vulnerable, and more broadly, that the difficulty of playing African away games is now much less severe than in the past. This change is attributed to better refereeing and tighter match control, which has levelled the playing field for travelling clubs.
“African football is not what it used to be; it is not as daunting as it used to be going away from home. That away factor from 10-15 years ago is not the same. The refereeing has improved,” added De Sa
“I think Chiefs have a great opportunity to top this group and make their way to the knockout stages. I think they’ve put up a good squad and seem to be pretty settled. It is a good way back into Africa. Instead of Zamalek, I would strongly say Chiefs are the favourites to top this group.”
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