Poor Penalties See Chiefs Lose In The Toyota Cup

Kaizer Chiefs suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the Toyota Cup 2025, losing 3-2 on penalties to Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The match ended 0-0 after regular time, with Amakhosi dominating the game but failing to capitalize on their scoring opportunities.

In the first half, Chiefs created several chances, with Glody Lilepo hitting the post with a great shot from outside the box.

Vilakazi also had a chance to score from a free kick, but his effort went wide. Despite their dominance, neither team managed to score, and the first half ended in a deadlock.

In the second half, coach Nasreddine Nabi introduced Mduduzi Shabalala, Pule Mmodi, and Wandile Duba to strengthen the team’s attack.

The introduction of these players had an immediate impact, with Amakhosi creating several scoring opportunities.

However, they were unable to score, and Shabalala’s shot hit the crossbar in one instance.

Chiefs continued to push for a goal, but their lack of clinical finishing proved costly.

Nabi introduced Siphesihle Ndlovu in the 74th minute, replacing Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, in an attempt to strengthen the midfield.

Amakhosi’s captain, Inacio Miguel, then missed a crucial penalty in the 84th minute, which could have changed the course of the game.

This was Miguel’s second penalty miss in recent times, having missed one during a preseason friendly in the Netherlands.

The match went to a penalty shootout, which Asante Kotoko won 3-2. This was the second time Chiefs have played in the Toyota Cup, having lost 4-0 to Tanzanian giants Young Africans in the inaugural edition last year.

Nabi’s starting lineup in this game featured three newly signed players: Thabiso Monyane, Nkanyiso Shinga, and Flavio Silva. Monyane and Shinga played the full 90 minutes, while Silva was substituted after 45 minutes.

Other new players who got a chance in the second half were Ndlovu and youngster Thulani Mabaso, who was recently promoted from the DStv Diski Challenge team.

Amakhosi will now focus on their league campaign, which kicks off on 10 August against Stellenbosch at Athlone Stadium.