CAF Confederation Cup: Beating Kaizer Chiefs gives Red Arrows confidence, says Mbewe

Red Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe says eliminating Kaizer Chiefs from the CAF Confederation Cup has given his players a significant boost in confidence ahead of the group stage.

The Zambian side knocked out the South African giants in the second preliminary round after winning 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 aggregate draw.

Chiefs, who lost the first leg 1-0 in Zambia, won by the same scoreline at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban last Friday to force the tie into a penalty shoot-out.

However, Red Arrows held their nerve to secure qualification, ending Chiefs’ hopes of progressing in the competition.

Mbewe praised his players for their mental strength, saying they understood the challenge of facing a club of Chiefs’ stature.

“Before coming to Durban, we knew that it’s not going to be an easy game against Chiefs,” he told Red Arrows media.

“It was all about the mental strength. Even though the stadium was not full, we set the goal that we were going just to have the mental strength and we just need to stand and show that we fight and qualify to the group stage.”

The Red Arrows coach believes the victory will boost his team’s belief as they prepare for the next phase of the competition.

“It’s a huge motivation for the team. Kaizer Chiefs is not a small team, it’s a big team in the PSL, and I think beating them brings a lot of confidence,” he added.

Mbewe also stressed the importance of making the most of home advantage when Red Arrows host their opponents in Ndola during the group stage.

He said the team would use the victory as a platform to prepare for the challenges ahead and aim to progress as far as possible in the tournament.