Da Cruz urges composure as Kaizer Chiefs begin CAF Confederation Cup campaign

Kaizer Chiefs will begin their CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Red Arrows on Sunday, with head coach Fernando Da Cruz warning that his side face a powerful opponent who can threaten on the counter-attack.

The first leg of the second-round preliminary tie takes place tomorrow at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. Chiefs travel with a depleted squad but will be aiming to return to South Africa with a positive result.

Da Cruz has studied Red Arrows and expects the match to demand discipline and control from his players.

“We know the expectation is very high in this competition as well for Kaizer Chiefs. We analysed our opponents and we were able to establish that they are a very powerful side that likes to play on the transition,” he said.

Chiefs enjoyed a strong run in the CAF Confederation Cup last season, reaching the group stages. They narrowly missed out on a place in the quarter-finals after failing to progress on the final day.

However, their preparations for this campaign have been affected by injuries picked up during the midweek match against Stellenbosch FC. Lebohang Maboe and Khanyisa Mayo have not fully recovered and are continuing to work on their fitness with the DDC team.

Da Cruz said those issues would limit the changes he could make to the team that played in midweek.

Red Arrows also have experience of competing in the CAF Confederation Cup, although they have never reached the group stages of either that competition or the CAF Champions League.

The Kaizer Chiefs manager said the demands of continental football were different from those of domestic matches, while making clear that his squad was fully focused on the opening fixture.

“It’s exciting to begin a new competition and all of us are focused on this game before us.”