Chiefs believe they can challenge Pirates and Sundowns for league title

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebohang Maboe believes his side have the squad and experience to compete with Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title this season.

Maboe says Chiefs’ participation in the CAF Confederation Cup last season helped prepare them for the demands of challenging at the top of the domestic game.

The 31-year-old pointed to Chiefs’ 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns a few weeks ago as evidence that they can compete with South Africa’s leading teams.

“We’ve got the squad [to challenge Pirates and Sundowns]. We’ve got the team, we’ve got the coach [Fernando Da Cruz],” Maboe said.

Chiefs are aiming to win silverware under Da Cruz and give their supporters something to celebrate.

“We need silverware; we want to put smiles on our fans’ faces as well. We also want to leave a legacy… we want to leave the jersey in a better place. If there were any doubts in anyone’s head, I think that performance [against Downs] showed that we are capable.”

The Soweto club were unable to progress beyond the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup last season, finishing third in Group D.

Al Masry of Egypt took the second qualifying place after edging Chiefs on goal difference. Both sides finished the group stage with 11 points.

Despite that disappointment, Maboe believes the continental campaign has benefited Chiefs by exposing them to a higher intensity of football.

“I also think that playing in the Confederation Cup always helped a lot in us giving that performance [against Downs] because we are now used to playing at a high-intensity game or level. Confed Cup shaped us to be able to compete at that level,” he said.

Chiefs have made an unbeaten start to their league campaign under Da Cruz, winning two of their opening four matches and drawing the other two.

Their next fixture is against Siwelele at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday at 5.30pm.

Maboe also says the squad have settled quickly under Da Cruz, who replaced interim co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze at the beginning of the season.

The midfielder believes the arrival of a new head coach has brought fresh ideas and a different perspective to the team.

“We’ve adapted very well to our new coach. We were so looking forward to working with him, and I also think hearing like a different voice and new ideas that helped us,” he noted.