Kaizer Chiefs boss Fernando Da Cruz calls for improvement despite winning start

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has warned his players that there is still plenty to improve on, despite Amakhosi opening their 2026/27 Betway Premiership campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over newly promoted Kruger United.

The French coach was encouraged by the performance at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday evening, where Chiefs produced a strong display to claim all three points. However, Da Cruz was keen to temper expectations after only one match and stressed that a positive start would have limited value unless the team maintained its standards throughout the season.

Da Cruz was especially pleased with the intensity shown by his players and their ability to control the match for long periods. He also praised the substitutes who entered the game, saying they helped Kaizer Chiefs preserve the same level of energy and organisation in the second half.

“In the second half, we started with the same intensity and the same control of the tempo of the game. I am very happy about the players who go in because they helped the team to keep the level at the same intensity,” Da Cruz observed.

The result provided an encouraging early indication that the squad is beginning to understand the coach’s approach. Da Cruz said the players had responded positively to his football philosophy and had shown a willingness to work hard in training.

Even so, he emphasised that the challenge would be to reproduce that performance consistently over a full campaign. The Betway Premiership season is long, and the coach believes the team must continue working rather than assume the victory over Kruger United represents the finished product.

“We controlled 75 minutes of the game, so I am very happy about the team, but we need to improve again and to work again hard. We implement works for sure and a game model also.

“For the moment, the players like this game model and likes also working hard every day with us. So, we hope that it will continue but I know also that it’s only one game and the season will be long and we have a lot of work again,” Da Cruz observed.

His comments underline the balance between satisfaction and caution inside the Chiefs camp. The 3-1 win gave the club a strong platform at the start of the new league campaign, but Da Cruz made clear that further progress will be judged over time.

For now, the coach can take confidence from the way his side combined intensity, control and effective contributions from the bench. The next task will be to ensure those qualities remain part of Kaizer Chiefs’ performances as the season develops.