Kaizer Chiefs apologize to fans after loss to Stellenbosch

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalid Ben Youssef issued an apology to supporters following Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat to Stellenbosch, conceding that the visitors fully deserved their dramatic late victory in the Betway Premiership.

Chiefs had taken a 1-0 lead into halftime but were undone by two second-half goals, marking their second loss to Stellenbosch in just over three weeks, after the team also eliminated Chiefs from the Nedbank Cup on February 4.

“First, we have to apologise to our fans. We are very sorry for this result,” Ben Youssef said. “In the first half, we dominated, created chances, but failed to convert. When you’re ahead and controlling the game, you have to finish it. We didn’t.”

The second half quickly turned against Chiefs, with Stellenbosch scoring within the opening five minutes. Substitutions—including Thabo Cele, Wandile Duba, Mdu Shabalala, and Mfundo Vilakazi—were introduced to shift the momentum, but Ben Youssef admitted they fell short.

“We tried to add impact with the substitutes, but Stellenbosch were better in the second half and deserved the win,” he added. “We have to be critical of ourselves, analyse our performance honestly, and correct our mistakes.”

Looking ahead, Chiefs face a high-stakes derby against Orlando Pirates on Saturday. “There’s little time to dwell on this game. We have to focus on preparing for the next match and continue working hard,” Ben Youssef concluded.