Sekhukhune United head coach Cedric Kaze has opened up on the emotional weight of facing his former club, Kaizer Chiefs, in a blockbuster Betway Premiership clash on Wednesday evening.
Kaze spent two seasons at Amakhosi, initially serving as an assistant to Nasreddine Nabi before taking on a co-coaching role alongside Khalil Ben Youssef.
He parted ways with the Soweto giants at the end of the 2025/26 season, having guided Chiefs to a third-place finish and securing a return to continental football via the CAF Confederation Cup.
Now at the helm of Sekhukhune, Kaze has enjoyed an immediate impact. He steered Babina Noko into the MTN8 semi-finals following a dramatic 4-3 victory over AmaZulu FC on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Kaze returns to familiar territory as Sekhukhune travel to the FNB Stadium for a league showdown scheduled for 19:30 CAT.
CEDRIC KAZE ON FACING KAIZER CHIEFS: ‘IT’S AN EMOTIONAL ONE’
Speaking to the media in Durban following the thrilling win over Usuthu, Kaze acknowledged the significance of his upcoming return to FNB Stadium.
“It’s an emotional one coming on Wednesday,” Kaze admitted. “But we have to first recover well because I feel like this game [against AmaZulu] took a toll on the physicality of the players. But I am pretty sure that on Wednesday we will be ready for the challenge.”
WHY KAZE WANTS SEKHUKHUNE UNITED TO BE UNPREDICTABLE THIS SEASON
Reflecting on his tactical vision for the 2026/27 campaign, the Burundian tactician emphasised the need for versatility if Sekhukhune are to compete with the league’s heavyweights.
“Everyone comes to a game with plans, having watched other teams a lot of times. We need to be able to be flexible and to surprise other teams. We need a team that can do different things at different times during the game,” he explained.
Both sides enter the midweek fixture buoyed by positive starts. Chiefs kicked off their league campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over newcomers Kruger United, while Sekhukhune collected maximum points in their opener with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Durban City FC.
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