Kaizer Chiefs confident of overturning Red Arrows deficit

Kaizer Chiefs defender Inacio Miguel says it would be “unimaginable” for his side to fail to overturn their first-leg defeat by Red Arrows and reach the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.

Chiefs host the Zambian side at Moses Mabhida Stadium tonight at 6pm, needing to recover from a 1-0 loss in Ndola last Saturday in the second preliminary round.

Miguel insists he is focused solely on securing victory rather than considering the possibility of elimination.

“I am not even thinking about losing. There’s no losing tomorrow, so I can’t be thinking about something that won’t happen. My mindset is only on winning,” he said at a press conference at Moses Mabhida Stadium yesterday.

The South African club also overturned a first-leg deficit last season to qualify for the Confederation Cup group phase, although their campaign ended before the knockout stage.

Miguel believes that experience provides evidence that Chiefs can repeat the achievement.

“We did it last season and we are capable of doing it again this season. It’s all in our hands. In the first leg they [Red Arrows] were more aggressive than us and that’s something we must change,” he said.

The defender called for Chiefs to start with greater intensity after acknowledging that the team can take too long to find its rhythm.

“Sometimes I feel like our team is too slow to get into the game … we delay to get our groove and Red Arrows capitalised on that and now it’s our time to fight,” Miguel added.

He also promised a determined performance for the supporters, many of whom have travelled to back the team.

“What I can promise our fans tomorrow [tonight] is a fighting spirit. We have fans who’ve travelled from different places, so we can’t afford to disappoint them,” Miguel said.

“Our supporters are the 12th man that we need, especially tomorrow with this deficit from the first leg. It’s very important for us to stick together.”

Chiefs coach Fernando da Cruz has identified an early goal as a key objective, saying it would alter the demands of the tie.

“The most important thing tomorrow [tonight] is to score first and by doing so, the context of the tie will change,” Da Cruz said.