Da Cruz urges sharper Kaizer Chiefs attack despite Toyota Cup win over Scottland FC

Fernando da Cruz says Kaizer Chiefs must become far more ruthless in front of goal, despite closing out their pre-season with a 1-0 Toyota Cup win over Scottland FC at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

The head coach was encouraged by the result on Sunday but underlined that improving attacking efficiency remains a priority as Amakhosi gear up for the start of the new Betway Premiership campaign.

Chiefs edged the Zimbabwean champions thanks to a first-half strike from Mfundo Vilakazi, who cut inside from the flank and fired home the only goal of the game. The performance secured a positive final tune-up before their league opener, but did little to ease Da Cruz’s concerns about the cutting edge of his forward line.

Limited attacking reinforcements

Da Cruz highlighted that Chiefs have made only minimal changes in their attacking department during the transfer window, with Khanyisa Mayo the club’s sole major attacking arrival after his loan move was turned into a permanent deal.

That lack of new firepower has sharpened the coach’s focus on getting more out of the existing squad, particularly in the final third.

“We have a good defensive structure but offensively, for the moment, it’s the part where we take most of the time to work and improve, and we are working towards that, but it’s our process, it’s our (intention) to improve offensively,” Da Cruz said after the match.

He stressed that the balance of the team is solid at the back, but that more work on patterns of play, decision-making and execution in attack is needed before Chiefs can meet their own expectations over the course of the season.

Ideal test before Betway Premiership kick-off

Chiefs begin their Betway Premiership campaign away to newly promoted Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, and Da Cruz felt the meeting with Scottland offered just the kind of test his players required.

“This game was very good preparation before we start the season in the Betway Premiership next Saturday because we suffered a lot, we ran a lot, and physically also,” he said.

“And I’m very happy for this game because now we need to rest and then start preparing for the next game in a couple of days.”

The French coach welcomed the physical intensity of the contest, arguing that being forced to work hard out of possession and manage periods of pressure would benefit his side ahead of a potentially demanding encounter against Kruger United.

Vilakazi impresses in versatile role

Vilakazi, who scored the winner, produced one of the standout displays of the afternoon and collected the Player of the Match award. Operating mainly from a wide role, the 20-year-old posed a constant threat and underlined why Da Cruz views him as a flexible attacking option.

The coach explained that he does not see Vilakazi as limited to one position and expects to move him around the forward line depending on the opposition and game plan.

“It depends in which area of the pitch we are, it depends also on the structure of the opponents as well as our game model, so we asked the wingers to stay wide and sometimes drift inside,” Da Cruz said.

“Vilakazi is an interesting player for me because he can also play as a winger or a forward or striker, so it’s very interesting. I like to have a player like this in my squad who can play in different positions. And it does not mean that because he played as a winger today, that he can’t play as a forward or striker in the next games.”

Building on last season’s platform

With the new season now just days away, Da Cruz will hope Chiefs can carry their defensive solidity from pre-season into competitive action while accelerating their development in attack.

Amakhosi finished third in the Betway Premiership last term, and the coach’s focus on greater fluency and efficiency in the final third reflects his belief that fine-tuning their offensive play will be crucial if they are to improve on that position.