Are Kaizer Chiefs not doing enough to sharpen misfiring Mduduzi Shabalala? Ex-Mamelodi Sundowns star Sibusiso Vilakazi makes training ground suggestion for Amakhosi midfielder

Kaizer Chiefs were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup after going down 2-1 to Stellenbosch at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday.

Goals by Ibraheem Jabaar and Devin Titus inside the first 23 minutes left Chiefs chasing the game.

Even after Flavio da Silva cut Stellenbosch's lead, it was not enough to inspire a successful Amakhosi comeback. 

It was a match in which the Soweto giants' midfielder Mduduzi Shabalala missed some clear-cut chances, especially in the first half.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi feels being sharp in front of goal is something Amakhosi can work on to help Shabalala improve.

"You go back to the first half where Mdu had clear chances, goal-scoring opportunities," Vilakazi said as per KickOff. 

"Try and look at those chances and say those chances should have been taken, and it could have been a totally different ball game in terms of results.    

"But at the same time, those are lessons for Mdu, in terms of how he needs to finish up those moments and how he can be a complete number 10.    

"He gets into the right areas. I'm happy that he is getting into the right areas. He is breaking the lines. It's just about working on it at training, whereby you go through, and now finish it," added the former Bafana Bafana star.     

"You are going to find yourself again in that position, and it is important for you to be clinical when you get these opportunities."

Having been playing Premier Soccer League football from the 2022/23 season after he was promoted from the Amakhosi reserve side, Shabalala has struggled to carry Chiefs.

He has often been compared to the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota and Mbekezeli Mbokazi who became key Orlando Pirates players.

That leaves Shabalala with more expectations on him to improve as Chiefs are keen on finding a top playmaker. 

Wednesday's defeat by Stellenbosch might have served as a wake-up call for Chiefs who got into that game high from a four-match winning streak.

However, that winning run was marked by slender 1-0 victories that might have exposed their frailties upfront and the Nedbank Cup exit was a reminder that they still have a lot to work on.