Kaizer Chiefs shift focus to CAF Confederations Cup after Betway Premiership defeat

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi insists his side must take lessons from their first defeat of the season against Sekhukhune United and deliver an improved performance when they shift their focus to the CAF Confederations Cup preliminary first leg against Kabuscorp this Saturday (5pm kickoff).

Chiefs were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by a determined Sekhukhune outfit, whose performance underlined their intentions of finishing in the top three with another strong display.

Amakhosi now face a dual challenge: traveling to Luanda, Angola, and entering their first match of the season on the back of a defeat, having started the campaign with four wins and a draw before the international break.

A brace from Bradley Grobler, coupled with a second-half strike from Thabang Monare, threw Nabi and his charges their first curveball of the season, with Flavio Silva’s second goal of the campaign not enough to get his side across the line.

It was also the first time Brandon Petersen and Chiefs had conceded a goal in six matches, highlighting the defensive vulnerabilities that Sekhukhune were able to exploit.

Despite the setback, Nabi stressed the importance of maintaining perspective, particularly given the compressed schedule that comes with balancing local and continental commitments. He encouraged his players to keep their heads held high and view the defeat as a learning opportunity rather than a reason for discouragement.

“I just spoke to the players and told them that accidents do happen, as they did today,” Nabi said during the post-match press conference.

“What we need to see is the reaction and to keep our heads up and to be ready for the next game, especially because it’s a continental game.”

Chiefs are due to play the return leg against the Angolan outfit before the end of the month. Nabi would have faced a heavier fixture load, but the postponement of matches against TS Galaxy and AmaZulu has provided some breathing room.

Following their trip to Angola, the Glamour Boys will only have to navigate a challenge from Marumo Gallants before welcoming Kabuscorp to the FNB Stadium later this month. With so much at stake, Nabi has highlighted these fixtures as critical and emphasised that his side must respond and make it count.

“It’s two games, and it will be like a knockout competition, which we will need to deal with with a very different approach,” Nabi said.

“We need to learn from the mistakes that we made today and concentrate and prepare ourselves better for the next game.”

Chiefs’ last continental campaign was in 2021, when they lost 3-0 to Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the final of the CAF Champions League. Since then, the side has experienced instability and several coaching changes. Now, with Nabi seemingly settled at the helm, the squad has moved past the building phase.

Nabi’s task will be to steer a young, inexperienced team through the rigours of continental football while ensuring consistent performances in local competitions, making full use of the depth and options provided by the club’s recent signings.