Kaizer Chiefs begin Betway Premiership with 3-1 win as Da Cruz praises players’ resilience

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz praised his players’ fighting spirit after they opened their Betway Premiership campaign with a 3-1 victory over Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.

Chiefs made a quick start when Flavio Da Silva put them ahead, but Kruger United recovered and drew level through Khethukuthula Ndlovu in the final moments of the first half.

The visitors regained control after the break, with substitute Wandile Duba scoring twice after replacing Da Silva. His contribution ensured Chiefs began their league campaign with another victory, having also won the Toyota Cup last week.

Da Cruz was particularly pleased with the influence of his substitutes, who helped maintain the intensity and control his team had shown in the opening stages.

“I would like to thank the players for the three points because it is they who played this game. We controlled the game during the first 30 minutes and after the last 15 minutes we had a lot of pressure and we conceded an equaliser,” Da Cruz told the media during the post-match press conference.

The Chiefs coach said his team responded well after conceding and returned to their initial approach in the second half.

“And then in the second half, we started with the same intensity, same control of the game. I’m very happy with the players who came in because they kept the same level of intensity as we controlled the game.

“I’m very happy, but we need to improve and work again.”

The result gives Da Cruz two wins from his first two matches with Kaizer Chiefs. Although he believes the squad is beginning to understand the game model he is introducing, he warned that it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the team’s progress.

“At the moment, the players like the game model we are introducing, and I hope that it will continue but it’s only two games and the season will be long and we have a lot of work to be done.”

Kruger United coach Abram Mongoya remained confident his players could respond positively, arguing that their preparation had been disrupted by a lack of suitable friendly matches before the season began.

“I have to give credit to the boys because we had an abnormal preseason, very difficult because we didn’t have enough friendly matches,” Mongoya said.

He added that it would be unfair to make a final assessment of the squad based only on Saturday’s match, saying the players needed more time together to develop their understanding.

“So, it is very unfair to judge them in this game and say they struggled. They did their best, I think there is a little bit of a gap between the players we had last season. You can see the fluidity once they play together.”

Elsewhere in the Betway Premiership, Sekhukhune beat Durban 1-0, while AmaZulu won 1-0 away to Stellenbosch. Arrows and Chippa played out a goalless draw.

An audio version of the story was generated using AI.