When Lebohang Maboe put pen to paper at Naturena, it wasn’t for the routine training days or comfortable home wins; it was for the high-stakes intensity of a Saturday showdown against the likes of Zamalek SC.
As Chiefs undergo their final preparations in Egypt for their high-stakes CAF Confederation Cup clash against Zamalek, the versatile midfielder made it clear that the hostile atmosphere awaiting them in Ismailia is exactly why he joined the Glamour Boys.
He is relishing the opportunity to face Zamalek in the pressure cooker of the Suez Canal Stadium this evening in a clash set to start at 18:00 CAT. With the Group D finale being a definitive “do-or-die” encounter, Maboe’s calm demeanor is backed by a continental pedigree that few can match.
Having made over 40 appearances in the CAF Champions League—contributing three goals and four assists—and having hoisted the inaugural African Football League [AFL] title during his time with Mamelodi Sundowns, Maboe is best equipped to lead Chiefs through the North African storm.
His journey, however, is about more than just trophies; it is about a full-circle homecoming. The talented player returned to Chiefs on 26 August 2024, returning to the very place where his journey began. A product of Chiefs’ youth development academy during his teenage years, Maboe’s path back to the village took him through stints at Maritzburg United, SuperSport United, and a trophy-laden spell at Chloorkop.
Now, having collected every major accolade the PSL has to offer, he returns to his roots not as a prospect, but as a seasoned proffesional. And for Maboe, Saturday isn’t just a game; it is the exact type of occasion he was brought back to Naturena to navigate.
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“These are the type of games I came here to play,” Maboe declared ahead of the winner-takes-all encounter. “When you sign for a big team, you want to be in hostile environments where the odds are stacked against you.”
The mission for Amakhosi is simple but daunting. Sitting atop Group D with 10 points, a single point against the White Knights will secure passage to the quarter-finals as group winners. However, a defeat in Ismailia could see Zamalek [8 points] and a surging Al Masry [7 points] leapfrog them, ending their continental dreams in heartbreaking fashion.
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Maboe, however, isn’t looking at the exit door. He’s looking at the squad’s character.
“Once you step onto the pitch, the crowd doesn’t matter. What matters is focusing on your job and putting the team through,” he insisted. “We’ll need one another, we’ll need to pull in the same direction, but we’ve got strong leaders and a strong team. If we work together, I don’t see us not qualifying.”
While Chiefs have shown immense resilience—recovering from an early-season slump to win three consecutive group games—the focus in the camp has shifted to clinical execution. In their previous meeting in Polokwane, Chiefs dominated large spells but needed a stoppage-time own goal to salvage a draw against Zamalek.
Maboe believes the frontline is on the verge of a breakout performance. “The most important thing is that we are creating chances. Credit must go to our frontline players for getting into those positions,” Maboe noted. “It shows we’re doing something right. Of course, it would be better with a higher conversion rate, but the players are working hard to make sure we start finishing.”
But Chiefs’ historical record in Egypt is a glaring void, with zero wins in four previous visits. Yet, after ending a seven-game winless run against Egyptian opposition last weekend against Al Masry, the psychological barriers are crumbling.
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