Khothatso Leballo

GOAL gives you the details to follow Amakhosi's CAF Confederation Cup Group D trip to Egypt. They face The Green Eagles at Suez Stadium on Sunday as they push to start their group campaign on a high. Coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef are leading the Soweto giants for this mission in North Africa from where coming back home with maximum points can be tricky.

The 43-year-old's coaching credentials have been under stern scrutiny as his club struggles in the Botswana Premier League. Poor results sparked rumours that his job is no longer safe and that he could soon be shown the exit door. The pressure has mounted as he battles to transfer the class he once displayed as an Amakhosi star into his coaching career.

Reports suggest that the 20-year-old is a wanted man in Major League Soccer. That has divided opinion, with some fans saying it would be a career blunder while others feel it would be a good move for his progress. This comes as the centre-back, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, has been enjoying a terrific year of football, playing for both the Buccaneers and Bafana Bafana.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns star has missed only two matches for Amakhosi this season. At 34, he stands out as one of the most experienced figures in the Soweto giants’ dressing room. His wealth of knowledge, especially in continental football, places him among the key players expected to guide the squad through the CAF Confederation Cup this season.

Masandawana host the Railmen at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday as they begin their CAF Champions League Group C campaign. They are keen on making a strong statement, knowing a win would help them stay at par or overtake Al Hilal, who occupy top spot after edging MC Alger on Friday. With home advantage and high expectations on them after last season's near-miss in this tournament, the Tshwane giants will be pushing to seize early control of the group.

The Algerian champions began their group campaign on a sour note after suffering a 2-1 defeat to the Sudanese giants at Al Hilal's temporary home ground, Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, on Friday. It was a disappointing outing in which they struggled to impose themselves despite some periods of promise. For The Doyen’s South African coach, it was a forgettable game as his side could not make use of their numerical advantage late in the match.

Amakhosi find themselves stretched in attack, with only three of their seven forwards available for Sunday’s showdown against their Egyptian opponents. The shortage raises concern, especially with one of their key available strikers having struggled for form this season. He has still made the trip and attention will be on him to see if he can rediscover his scoring touch if selected to play

Since October 2024, the veteran midfielder has been battling persistent fitness issues that have severely limited his game time for both club and country. His latest injury struck just as he had recovered from a previous setback, adding to the frustration. The recurring problems have raised fears that he may now be injury-prone. With him spending more time on the sidelines than on the pitch, concerns continue to grow about the future of his career. These mounting worries have also sparked fresh fears that he might soon consider calling time on his career when he is needed by Masandawana and the national team.

Amakhosi are in Egypt for their CAF Confederation Cup Group D clash against Al Masry at Suez Stadium on Sunday. The Soweto giants' sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr acknowledges the tough challenge that awaits them in North Africa as they are chasing their first continental trophy since 2001, when they lifted the CAF Cup Winners' Cup.

Three Amakhosi players who were part of the club’s pre-season tour of the Netherlands had raised hopes they would become central figures in the first team this season. However, the players failing to play first-team football suggests they have taken steps back in their development after such early promise. It also casts doubt on whether the Soweto giants are nurturing quality talent as expected, highlighting concerns about how effectively the club transitions academy prospects into the first team. That might see Chiefs having to rethink their entire player development strategy.

The 2025 CAF Awards ceremony was held on Wednesday in Morocco, with a South African team and footballers being part of the final nominees. The glittering event drew the continent’s finest football personalities under one roof and the strong South African presence might highlight the country's influence and contribution to football on the continent.

Amakhosi have been under pressure to produce players who go on to take South African football by storm. A number of their players have come close to reaching that, while others are still on their way to becoming big. The likes of Mfundo Vilakazi and Mduduzi Shabalala are still on the rise, with a lot of promise in them. However, others like Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Wandile Duba cannot be ruled out from improving to fulfil the promise they showed.

Tuesday's defeat to the Teranga Lions might have left some Kenya fans and football pundits questioning if the Bafana Bafana legend is the right man for the job he is in. This was after the former FC Porto forward was in charge of the fourth-heaviest defeat ever suffered by the East Africans. The FKF boss was forced to immediately issue a statement apologising for the embarrassing result.

The 27-year-old is making waves in Spain with his impressive performances for his second-tier club. He has continued with his growing hunger to get into the goal-scoring mix and make his mark in the league. While the Golden Boot remains a distant dream, he is promising to get himself into the mix should he continue with consistent displays. After parting ways with Sundowns unceremoniously, the attacker is showing why he was so keen for a move away from Chloorkop.

The South African legend is in the headlines for grim reasons after overseeing what is now the worst result of his coaching career. The humbling defeat to the Teranga Lions has intensified scrutiny on him and left the former FC Porto forward facing a massive task of managing and repairing a dented reputation. Also pressing is the need to regain the trust of the Kenyan football public.

The 36-year-old Buccaneers linkman showed his experience last season and was one of the league's best-performing, winning himself one of the respected awards. He got this recognition despite ending the term on the sidelines, nursing an injury. The veteran player is yet to play competitive football this season, although he has resumed full training with the rest of the team.

The Amakhosi midfielder has received some backing from a club legend who is strongly convinced that the player has enough quality to deserve a place in the national side. He argues that despite the central midfield being arguably the richest Bafana department in terms of depth, the former Stellenbosch star is international football material. The Soweto giants great insists the national team coach is failing to recognise what is good in a defensive linkman.

While other AFCON-bound teams have taken advantage of the current FIFA international break to play two friendly matches, South Africa opted to schedule only one. This might be seen as missing out on valuable match sharpness. However, the team will have an opportunity for more friendlies just before the continental tournament kicks off. That period could be crucial for the Belgian coach to further fine-tune combinations. The quality of opposition in the final preparation may determine how competitive the 1996 African champions will be at the continental showpiece.