Fernando da Cruz refuses to revisit Faiz Abrahams eligibility error

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando da Cruz has declined to discuss the administrative mistake that made Faiz Abrahams unavailable for Tuesday’s meeting with Stellenbosch FC, with his attention now firmly on the club’s upcoming CAF assignment in Zambia.

Abrahams is on loan at Chiefs from Stellenbosch and had been expected to start against his parent club. The midfielder had been part of the team’s plans throughout the week, with assistant coach Dillon Sheppard confirming that the technical staff had prepared for the match with him in the side.

However, Stellenbosch raised the issue of Abrahams’ eligibility before the fixture, forcing Chiefs to make a late alteration. Mduduzi Shabalala replaced him in the starting line-up.

Da Cruz was asked about the oversight but chose not to explain how it had occurred or identify who was responsible. He also did not indicate whether Abrahams would be available for Chiefs’ forthcoming continental match.

“What happened on Tuesday happened. For me now, the most important thing is to be focused on CAF and Red Arrows for our travel to Zambia,” Da Cruz said.

The late change meant Chiefs lost a player who had been central to their preparations for much of the week. Despite that disruption, Da Cruz did not dwell on the incident after the Stellenbosch FC fixture.

Chiefs must now turn their attention to the Red Arrows tie in Zambia. The club will aim to move on from the eligibility issue while ensuring its administrative arrangements are in order for the CAF assignment.