Kaze Reacts To Chiefs’ Painful CAF Exit
Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze has expressed deep disappointment after Amakhosi were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup following a 2-1 defeat to Zamalek SC at the Suez Canal Stadium on Saturday.
Kaze admitted that his side gifted Zamalek their two second-half goals after competing well in the opening stanza.
The defeat saw Chiefs, who only needed a draw to secure a place in the quarter-finals, finish third in Group D with 10 points after six matches.
Heading into the clash in Ismailia, Egypt, Amakhosi were top of the group with 10 points and had their destiny in their own hands. However, they ended level on points with Al Masry SC, who defeated ZESCO United in the other fixture to claim second place, while Zamalek topped the group.
At the final whistle, Chiefs players collapsed to the ground in frustration after letting qualification slip from their grasp, despite pulling one goal back through Glody Lilepo. It was not enough to draw level with the Egyptian giants.
“First of all, I would say that it is a big disappointment for us,” said Kaze.
“We tried everything we could, but on Saturday we didn’t have the right attitude and mentality. I feel we did too much for the opponents.
“We gave them time and space, especially in the second half. I believe we respected them too much. The first goal we conceded in the second half came from in front of the wall.
“The second goal was avoidable. It’s a big disappointment for us, but that is football.
“We need to learn from this and move on.”
The loss adds to recent disappointment after Chiefs were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 by Stellenbosch FC, meaning they will be unable to defend their title.
Chiefs will now shift their focus to the Betway Premiership, where they are third on the table with 30 points from 15 matches — eight behind league leaders Orlando Pirates, who have played one game more.
Their current third-place position keeps them in contention for qualification for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
