Kaze – Nothing Worked For Chiefs Today
Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze admitted that nothing went according to plan for his side, especially in the opening stages, where they conceded two early goals, following their Nedbank Cup round of 32 elimination against Stellenbosch on Wednesday night.
The defending champions bowed out of the competition after a 2-1 loss to Stellies in front of a sold-out DHL Cape Town Stadium, bringing an abrupt end to their title defence.
Chiefs came into the match in red-hot form, having not lost or conceded a goal in 2026, with victories over Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership and two wins against ZESCO United in the CAF Confederation Cup, but that impressive run counted for little on a frustrating night in Cape Town.
Speaking on SuperSport TV after the match, Kaze did not hide his disappointment with how his side approached the game from the first whistle.
“In the first minute of the game, we didn’t enter the game with the right attitude and mentality,” Kaze said on SuperSport TV after the game.
“We conceded goals that were avoidable in the first 20 minutes. But in the first half, we got two or three one-on-one with the game, and we didn’t score.
“I will say that today was one of those days when everything you do is not enough because we created a lot of opportunities in the second half.
“We have to keep our mental strength and look forward to the Sunday game, which is a massive game for us.”
Stellenbosch capitalised on Chiefs’ slow start, striking twice within the first 25 minutes.
Ibrahim Jabaar opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 10th minute before Devin Titus added a second with a thunderous strike from range in the 22nd, putting the Glamour Boys under immense pressure early on.
Chiefs struggled to convert their chances, something that summed up their night.
However, the Phefeni Glamour Boys were rewarded when Flavio Da Silva calmly converted a penalty after Stellenbosch were penalised for a handball inside the box, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and giving Amakhosi renewed hope.
Trailing at the break, the Burundian mentor explained that his halftime message was centred on belief and mentality rather than panic.
“They scored two goals, but we were the better side as we created many chances, and we had to return to the second half with the right mentality, then managed to score the goal in the first 15 minutes,” Kaze added.
“I think that goal gave us a boost for the remaining minutes of the game.
“The boys did well in the second half, but we can say that it was an unlucky day and unfortunately we’re out of this cup.”
The early exit means there will be new Nedbank Cup champions this season.
Chiefs will now turn their attention to continental football, where they face Egyptian side Al Masry at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday, knowing that a victory would go a long way to secure qualification to the CAF Confederation Cup knockout stage.
