Kaizer Chiefs vs Al Masry 2:1, 2026-02-08, CAF Confederation Cup – Match Report, Goals, Highlights and Result

Kaizer Chiefs 2–1 Al Masry
CAF Confederation Cup – Matchday 5

Kaizer Chiefs kept their CAF Confederation Cup hopes very much alive with a hard‑fought 2–1 victory over Al Masry, edging a tight tactical contest in Johannesburg despite spending long spells without the ball.

Al Masry enjoyed the greater share of possession – 56% to Chiefs’ 44% – and were more controlled in their build-up, but the hosts were sharper in both boxes and showed greater efficiency in decisive moments to claim three vital group-stage points.

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### Chiefs make pressure count in clinical fashion

In a match that swung in phases, Kaizer Chiefs were more ruthless when chances came. They registered 12 total shots, with 5 on target, making far better use of their opportunities than Al Masry, who finished with 8 efforts and 3 on goal.

Mduduzi Shabalala was the focal point of the Chiefs attack, repeatedly testing the Egyptian defence and leading all players for shots. His willingness to pull the trigger – both from range and inside the area – set the tone for a home performance built on direct running and rapid transitions.

Al Masry’s chief attacking threat came from Salah Mohsen Mohamed Shalabi, who not only recorded the most shots on target for the visitors but also led the side in physical duels. His movement between the lines and aggressive pressing ensured Chiefs’ back line were never allowed to settle, and he was central to most of the visitors’ best attacking moments.

The contest developed into a classic contrast of styles: Al Masry patiently circulating possession, Chiefs prepared to absorb pressure before breaking at pace and striking when the defensive structure in front of them slipped.

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### Midfield balance: Maboe’s craft vs Sobhy’s control

The midfield battle was subtly decisive. For Chiefs, Lebohang Kgosana Maboe knitted together defence and attack with a tireless all‑round display. He attempted 46 passes with a 78% completion rate and, crucially, delivered 3 key passes – the joint-highest figure on the pitch.

Those key passes underpinned Chiefs’ most dangerous attacking surges, often arriving at the end of quick regains and switches of play that exposed space behind Al Masry’s full-backs. Maboe repeatedly found pockets between the lines, offering an outlet when Chiefs broke out of pressure and ensuring they could progress the ball quickly into the final third.

In contrast, Khaled Sobhy served as Al Masry’s metronome. He completed 82% of his 63 passes, a team-high total that reflected the visitors’ more possession-based approach. Sobhy helped them dominate central areas, recycling the ball and dictating tempo, yet much of that control arrived in non-threatening zones as Chiefs held a compact shape and forced play wide.

On the flanks, Karim Hesham Mohamed Mohamed El Eraki matched Maboe with 3 key passes for Al Masry, frequently looking to unlock the Chiefs back line with angled balls into the box and low crosses. But while the Egyptians created promising openings, they struggled to turn such situations into clear, high-quality chances.

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### Defensive edge: Chiefs hold firm, Al Masry left frustrated

For long periods, this match was defined by defensive concentration rather than attacking flair.

Kaizer Chiefs finished with 12 interceptions, reading passing lanes effectively and stepping in at the right moments to break up Al Masry’s rhythm. Aden McCarthy led the way with 3 interceptions, often anticipating through balls intended for Salah Mohsen and quelling danger before it fully materialised. His positioning was central to Chiefs’ plan to stay compact and defend their penalty area aggressively.

Al Masry, for their part, recorded 14 interceptions, with Ahmed Ayman Mansour the standout performer on that front, making 4. He repeatedly stepped out of the defensive line to cut out vertical passes aimed at Shabalala and Maboe, helping prevent Chiefs from building sustained pressure.

The Egyptians also offered more in terms of last-ditch defending. They finished with 3 blocks, including one from Mansour, whose timely interventions prevented at least one certain effort on target. Chiefs, in contrast, did not register a block, a reflection of their preference to defend deeper and channel Al Masry wide, reducing the need for desperate recovery actions in front of goal.

That difference in approach summed up the pattern of the game: Al Masry probing, Chiefs funneling them into less dangerous areas and relying on interceptions and compact positioning rather than emergency defending.

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### Duels and physical battles: Ndlovu and Salah Mohsen set the tone

Beyond the technical and tactical aspects, this was a physically intense encounter, with direct confrontations all over the pitch.

Siphesihle Ndlovu was at the heart of Chiefs’ competitive edge, engaging in a team-high 8 face-to-face duels for the ball. Stationed primarily in central areas, he disrupted Al Masry’s passing lines with relentless pressing and was central to many of Chiefs’ ball recoveries. Ndlovu’s willingness to contest every 50–50 added an aggressive dimension that unsettled the visitors’ rhythm.

For Al Masry, Salah Mohsen Mohamed Shalabi matched that tally with 8 duels of his own. Constantly looking to spin in behind and press from the front, he asked persistent questions of the Chiefs defence and kept them on the back foot whenever Al Masry transitioned quickly from defence to attack.

Those individual battles underlined the broader narrative of the game: Al Masry trying to impose themselves with possession and structure; Chiefs responding with intensity, directness and a readiness to compete for every loose ball.

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### Key statistics

– **Final score:** Kaizer Chiefs 2–1 Al Masry
– **Ball possession:** Kaizer Chiefs 44% – 56% Al Masry
– **Total shots:** Kaizer Chiefs 12 – 8 Al Masry
– **Shots on target:** Kaizer Chiefs 5 – 3 Al Masry
– **Most shots:** Mduduzi Shabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)
– **Most shots on target (Al Masry):** Salah Mohsen Mohamed Shalabi

**Passing and creativity**
– Lebohang Kgosana Maboe (Kaizer Chiefs): 46 passes, 78% accuracy, 3 key passes
– Khaled Sobhy (Al Masry): 63 passes, 82% accuracy
– Karim Hesham Mohamed Mohamed El Eraki (Al Masry): 3 key passes

**Defensive actions**
– Interceptions – Kaizer Chiefs: 12 (Aden McCarthy 3)
– Interceptions – Al Masry: 14 (Ahmed Ayman Mansour 4)
– Blocks – Kaizer Chiefs: 0
– Blocks – Al Masry: 3 (Ahmed Ayman Mansour 1)

**Duels**
– Most duels contested – Kaizer Chiefs: Siphesihle Ndlovu (8)
– Most duels contested – Al Masry: Salah Mohsen Mohamed Shalabi (8)

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### What it means for the group

The win leaves Kaizer Chiefs well placed heading into the final round of CAF Confederation Cup group fixtures, having shown they can win even when out-possessed and pushed back for long spells. Their defensive organisation, combined with incisive attacking contributions from Shabalala and Maboe, suggests a side growing in maturity in continental competition.

Al Masry, despite their control of the ball and solid defensive numbers, leave empty-handed and with work to do. Their possession and structure yielded too few clear chances, and they were ultimately punished by a more clinical opponent.

As Matchday 5 closes, Chiefs have given themselves a platform to push for qualification, while Al Masry will know that greater cutting edge in the final third is essential if they are to keep their CAF Confederation Cup campaign alive.

• Kaizer Chiefs will play with Zamalek SC. February 14 at 16:00 (GMT), on Cairo International Stadium.
• AL Masry will play with ZESCO United. February 14 at 16:00 (GMT), on Borg El Arab Stadium.

Kaizer Chiefs

• Brandon Petersen (7.2)
• Dillan Peter Solomons (6)
• Alton Zitha Kwinika (6.3)
• Spiwe Given Msimango (6.3)
• Aden McCarthy (7.2)
• Lebohang Kgosana Maboe (6.7)
• Siphesihle Ndlovu (6.9)
• Glody Makabi Lilepo (6.7)
• Mduduzi Shabalala (6.3)
• Pule Sydney Mmodi (7)
• Flávio António da Silva (6.9)

AL Masry

Substitutions:

Kaizer Chiefs

• Dillan Peter Solomons (Thabiso James Monyane, 62)
• Mduduzi Shabalala (Paseka Matsobane Godfrey Mako, 73)
• Flávio António da Silva (Khanyisa Mayo, 73)
• Pule Sydney Mmodi (Leandro Gastón Sirino Rodríguez, 89)

AL Masry

• A. Sawafta (Omar Mamdouh Ibrahim El Saeey, 64)
• Mounder Temine (Amr El Saadawy, 72)
• Hassan Hassan Ali (Mohamed Ahmed Said Youssef, 72)
• Mohamed Tarek Mortada Attia (Essam Tharwat, 87)
• Salah Mohsen Mohamed Shalabi (Kingsley Eduwo, 87)

Ball possession:

Passes:

Defense:

Face-to-face:

Fouls:

Yellow cards:

• Aden McCarthy (Kaizer Chiefs) at 45 minute
• Abderrahim Deghmoum (AL Masry) at 30 minute
• Khaled Sobhy (AL Masry) at 34 minute
• Salah Mohsen Mohamed Shalabi (AL Masry) at 78 minute
• Mohamed El Sayed Hashem (AL Masry) at 90 minute

Penalties in a match:

• Flávio António da Silva (Kaizer Chiefs) at 39 minute

The last five games (including this match):

• Kaizer Chiefs – L
• AL Masry – W

Top 5 CAF Confederation Cup scorers:

1. Abderrahim Deghmoum (2, AL Masry)
2. Mohamed El Sayed Hashem (2, AL Masry)
3. Seifeddine Jaziri (2, Zamalek SC)
4. Pomi Nzaou (2, )
5. I. Abbaci (1, CR Belouizdad)

Line-ups:

Next games:

• Kaizer Chiefs will play with Zamalek SC. February 14 at 16:00 (GMT), on Cairo International Stadium.
• AL Masry will play with ZESCO United. February 14 at 16:00 (GMT), on Borg El Arab Stadium.