Kaizer Chiefs look to steady their CAF campaign against Zamalek at home

Kaizer Chiefs are well aware of the ideology that they have to win their home games in continental football to progress from the group stage, which is why they’ll give Zamalek as good as they get in Polokwane.

Chiefs will host Zamalek in their second CAF Confederation Cup group-stage match at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off), following their 2-1 loss away to Al Masry in Egypt last Sunday.

Amakhosi were their own worst enemies against Al Masry, having conceded a penalty and made a costly blunder in stoppage time. Such mistakes would be punished by the White Knights with ease, given their pedigree, if Chiefs are not fully alert at home.

Zamalek are not only one of the biggest teams in Egypt, they are also one of the heavyweights of African football, having won five Champions League titles and two Confederation Cup titles among their continental successes.

Chiefs know Zamalek's prowess all too well. The sides first met in the second round of the 1993 African Cup of Champions Clubs - now known as the Champions League - where the Egyptians won the tie on the away-goals rule after losing 2-1 in Johannesburg before winning 1-0 at home.

“We can take that,” said defender Zitha Kwinika about their underdog tag heading into the match. “But at the end of the day, we are also Kaizer Chiefs. We are a big team like Zamalek.

“We’ll give them the respect they deserve, but at the end of the day, we have a job to do in the game. And we are ready to do exactly that.”

But given that it’s been 32 years since that encounter - and that a lot has changed for both sides - Kwinika acknowledges the shift in fortunes, and says they cannot afford to falter at home against any opponents in continental football.

“It’s crucial to win at home because I think that gives you better points and better chances going forward,” Kwinika said. “I think it becomes very difficult when you are playing away.”

“We are confident, and we know what we need to do. It’s just about us doing that and pushing forward. I think that will help us a lot going forward, especially in terms of scoring.”

Having failed to put the game to bed when they had chances against Al Masry - one of Chiefs’ shortcomings in Egypt - Kwinika also reflected on the lessons they’ve learned from Egyptian teams and their tactics.

“I think they have similar players, with the same style of play,” Kwinika said. “It’s the same thing they do best there - the delaying tactics and all that. We’ve learned from that, and we are ready for the upcoming one.”

Chiefs are navigating the uncharted waters of the continental group stage with a solid system, though. This includes guidance from Lebohang Maboe, who knows the breadth and depth of the continent following his illustrious spell with Mamelodi Sundowns.

Maboe might not have played as many games as he would have liked since his return to Chiefs, but he knows that his chance will come, which is why he believes it’s important to prioritise the team’s ambitions for now.

“I just need to support the players who are playing. Clap for others while I am still waiting for my chance as well,” Maboe said, before highlighting the importance of his continental experience within the squad.

“In some games, it’s going to come in handy because I know the pressure of playing away, especially in these competitions.

“The last game gave us a sense of being in control, but we didn’t convert our chances and score. But I think we’ll definitely grow in the tournament, that’s for sure.”