Ben Youssef Praises Amakhosi’s Momentum After Third Consecutive Win
Kaizer Chiefs’ assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef is thrilled with the team’s momentum, highlighting the importance of confidence in their success following their victory over Richards Bay on Tuesday evening at FNB Stadium.
The 1-0 win courtesy of Gaston Sirino in the 57th minute sees Amakhosi sitting in second place with nine points, narrowly behind log leaders Sekhukhune United, who have the same number of points but a better goal difference.
This latest victory is a testament to the team’s strong start to the season, following successes against Stellenbosch and Polokwane City in their opening two league games.
It was the first time Chiefs won the opening three games since 2015, when they won the league title under Stuart Baxter.
“I think it’s very important for us and players to take confidence,” Youssef said.
“I think there are a lot of things to make in this team, but now I think we’re 60% to 70% – we’re happy about the performance.
“There are a lot of things to continue, and with new players, they will give us solutions also to help the team.”
Youssef’s comments underscore the team’s growing confidence and cohesion on the pitch. Despite the narrow margin of victory, Youssef was impressed with the team’s defensive display, but acknowledged that there is still work to be done in terms of their attacking prowess.
“Until now, I think defensively we performed very well, but we still have something to add in our offensive dimension to create more opportunities to score,” he said.
As Amakhosi look to their next match against Mamelodi Sundowns on Wednesday at FNB Stadium, Youssef emphasized the team’s focus on each game.
“We have our target as a team, and I think we know what we have to do, and those targets we’ll keep on us,” he added.
“I think for us in every game we don’t think about anything, and we don’t have pressure.
“Kaizer Chiefs is one of the biggest institutions in South Africa, and if you’re playing in the league, you’re playing to win it.”
As they prepare to face Sundowns now, Amakhosi will look to build on their momentum and take a step closer to their target of winning the league.
Interestingly, about the next game against Sundowns is that Amakhosi, according to Youssef, will welcome back their head coach, Nasreddine Nabi, who was not with the team in the first three games.
Amakhosi granted him special leave two weeks ago because his wife was involved in a car accident in Tunisia.
