Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze calls for fearless display ahead of CAF Confederation Cup second leg against Zesco United

While Kaizer Chiefs have been performing strongly in the Premier Soccer League and consistently posing a serious threat to the league’s top three, that form has yet to fully translate into the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.

However, their 1-0 victory over ZESCO United a week ago reaffirmed that the Naturena-based outfit has what it takes to mount a serious challenge on the continental stage.

The upcoming encounter in front of die-hard Amakhosi supporters in Durban on Sunday afternoon is expected to inject much-needed excitement and optimism for Chiefs as they aim to build momentum. 

Co-coach Cedric Kaze emphasised that success will require absolute focus, fearlessness, and relentless hard work if they are to overcome the Zambian side once again.

He believes that maintaining composure and playing with belief and character will be key in ensuring a positive result.

“We have to do it all over again,” Kaze told the club media team.

“The first result does not carry into this match. We must be focused, determined, and fight for every inch on the field.”

“Knowing your opponent helps, but it also makes things more difficult because they know you as well,” he added.

“We want to go on the front foot, to play our game with courage, belief, character and personality, and take control and be proactive."

The busy schedule for the Glamour Boys shows no signs of slowing down. While they have firmly established themselves as serious league title contenders, they still have a Nedbank Cup to defend — a challenge that does not faze the Burundian coach, who insists that hard work unlocks potential.

“There are no shortcuts, and nothing comes easy. Nothing comes without hard work. We are putting ourselves in every positive situation to work for everything good that can happen to us, and we will keep going and see how far we can reach,” he explained.

The coach will hope that his players bring the same energy and commitment to every game, leaving nothing to chance. For the Soweto giants, it’s bigger than just collecting points — it’s about crafting a lasting legacy, maintaining a happy fanbase, and showing that Amakhosi have the character and quality to compete at the highest level on every front.

With all the efforts from the 46-year-old Cedric Kaze and his co-coach Khalil Ben-Youssef in turning the tide at Naturena, much remains unclear about whether the duo will continue beyond the expiration of their contracts.

However, Kaze has firmly addressed questions surrounding their future, insisting that what matters most is their role as current coaches and their commitment to leaving Amakhosi in a better position.

"Kaizer Chiefs is a big brand, every coach dreams of coming to Kaizer Chiefs, every coach. I'm pretty sure that they've received 100s of CVs, but we are here today, we are working for the biggest club in South Africa, it's an honour,” Kaze said as reported by SABC Sports.

“The only thing we want to do is to do our best, to leave this club in a better place than it was before, and I'm not worried about next season. I'm just worried about tomorrow's [Sunday's] game."

He also added that, on a personal level, he is still working to achieve his own objectives.

"I'd say that for me personally to assess myself today, I wouldn't say that I'm in the right direction, I'm in the right direction, but I haven't met the objectives that I should have met because if I was in my shoes, I should be first on the log, that's the first thing. Which means that I'm a little bit not ahead of what I'm supposed to do," the coach added.