Msimango Targets History As Chiefs Face Al Masry

Kaizer Chiefs defender Given Msimango says the desire within the squad is to progress and make history in the CAF Confederation Cup as Amakhosi prepare for a decisive Group D clash against Al Masry on Sunday afternoon.

Chiefs host the Egyptian giants at Peter Mokaba Stadium, knowing that the encounter could define their continental campaign.

Speaking ahead of the match, Msimango underlined the hunger in the dressing room to reach the next round and go all the way in the competition.

“I think if I can tell you the language of my teammates, we all want to progress to the next round of this tournament,” Msimango said.

“This is a big club, and it’s another chance to make history.

“So, we want to be part of that history, and we want to do well in this tournament until we reach the final because we have ambitious players, a technical team, management, and fans.”

Amakhosi currently sit third in Group D with seven points, level with Al Masry, who occupy second place.

Sunday’s encounter will be the second leg between the two sides after Chiefs suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss in Egypt in their opening group-stage match against Masry.

The stakes are high not only because of qualification but also because of what is at play historically.

Since the competition’s inception in 2004, no South African team has won the CAF Confederation Cup, despite Orlando Pirates reaching the final twice and SuperSport United once. Chiefs are now chasing the opportunity to become the first South African side to lift the trophy.

Msimango, who joined Chiefs from TS Galaxy, believes the team’s progress this season gives them a real chance of achieving that goal.

“I think there’s a lot of improvement in the squad when I look at my stats prospectively,” Msimango added.

“Last season, we were not that good, but this season, we have improved defensively because we have a lot of clean sheets.

“We win many games, and it’s very fashionable to see this, and from the training session, it’s very fashionable to see the likes of Mfundo Vilakazi, Mduduzi Shabalala, Wandile Duba showing the qualities they have.

“I think that it shows a lot is being done at training, and they always perform week in week out. There are some mistakes there and there, and I think that shows there are some areas we need to work on.”

A victory against the Egyptian side will see Chiefs potentially go top of the group, depending on how group leaders Zamalek fare against the bottom side ZESCO.

Chiefs’ final group game will be against Zamalek next weekend in Egypt, making Sunday’s showdown a crucial moment in their Confederation Cup journey.