Johnson Still Eyeing CAF Spot Despite Recent Struggles
Kaizer Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson remains optimistic about his team’s chances of securing a CAF competition spot next season. However, their path has narrowed considerably.
Chiefs’ elimination from the Nedbank Cup by Milford FC in the first round means a top-three finish in the DStv Premiership is their only route to continental football.
Their 1-0 defeat to Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday dropped them further down the table to 10th place. Mathematically, the dream of catching Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title is over. Even winning all remaining matches would only yield 48 points, far behind Sundowns’ current tally of 53 with games in hand.
The gap between Chiefs and the current second and third-placed teams (Stellenbosch and Orlando Pirates) is also significant. Chiefs’ recent form, with just one win in 2024, doesn’t inspire confidence in their ability to close the gap.
Despite the daunting outlook, Johnson refuses to concede defeat.
“I never say goodbye until the last game, so we as a technical team must push as hard as we can,” said Johnson, who led Platinum Stars to second spot in the 2015/16 season.
“For us, that [Caf qualification] is not out of our way and the players know that.”
Chiefs have endured a rough patch, losing three consecutive league games for the first time this season. Their offensive woes are concerning as well, failing to score in the last four matches. They’ve also lost 10 league games, putting their top-eight position in jeopardy.
“It’s one major pressure bubble we are in now and we have to break the bubble somewhere,” said Johnson.
Chiefs next “host” SuperSport United at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday (17:30), with Gavin Hunt’s men having their own issues as they have not won a league match in 2024.