Da Cruz challenges Duba to carry cup form into league

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz says Wandile Duba must maintain his discipline and attacking mindset in front of goal if he is to reach the next level.

The 22-year-old striker has been one of the club’s standout performers during the 2026/27 campaign, scoring seven goals in nine appearances across all domestic competitions.

Duba’s latest contribution came in Kaizer Chiefs’ 2-1 Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final victory over Siwelele at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday. Speaking after the match, Da Cruz praised the forward’s instincts inside the penalty area but challenged him to reproduce that form in the Betway Premiership.

“He must continue with the same diligence every day; he must continue to have this mentality to want to kill inside the box,” Da Cruz told the media.

“He must continue to work because if he can score in the cups, he should be able to score in the league. But he has not played a lot in the league because he has been a little bit injured, like at the start of the season.

“So he must keep the same diligence to want to score in both competitions (cup games and league games).”

Duba sets new personal best

Duba has scored three times in six Betway Premiership appearances, while four of his goals have come in the Carling Knockout Cup.

His cup performances include a clinical hat-trick against TS Galaxy and a decisive first-half penalty against Siwelele, taking his overall tally beyond anything he had previously achieved in a senior season.

Before this campaign, Duba’s best return was five goals in 25 matches during the 2024/25 season. He scored three goals in 21 appearances in 2025/26.

Da Cruz noted that Duba has often appeared more effective in cup competitions than in the league, although his opportunities in the Betway Premiership have been affected by limited playing time and injury.

The coach’s message is for the striker to apply the same determination and finishing instinct regardless of the competition. With seven goals already recorded, Duba has established himself as Kaizer Chiefs’ leading marksman this season and has produced the most prolific spell of his senior career.

His challenge now is to turn that cup influence into consistent league output while continuing the work that has helped him become an important attacking option for the Soweto club.