‘Those kinds of games give experience to the players and belief that they can make things happen,’ said the Chiefs co-head coach.
Kaizer Chiefs co-head coach Cedric Kaze believes testing themselves against some of the best sides on the continent in the Caf Confederation Cup group stages can only help Amakhosi’s players.
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Chiefs beat DR Congo’s AS Simba 3-1 on Sunday at Dobsonville Stadium to reach the group stages of the competition, in one of their best performances of the campaign so far.
Chiefs join African giants in group stages
The draw for the group stages will take place in Johannesburg on November 3 and Kaze noted the quality of opposition that Chiefs could face.
“I was checking the teams in the Confederation Cup and they are serious clubs,” said Kaze.
“You have Zamalek, Wydad (Casablanca) and CR Belouizdad, such good teams. Those kinds of games give experience to the players and belief that they can make things happen.”
Sunday was the first time that Chiefs have scored three goals in a match all season, and they did so inside the first 26 minutes.
Etiosa Ighodaro got his first goal for Amakhosi, while Zitha Kwinika and Glody Lilepo also scored to effectively kill off the game.
“When you score in the first three minutes of the match (Ighodaro’s goal) it gives you that boost, that confidence to keep going, and it creates a doubt in your opponent’s mind. In the first 25-30 minutes we played amazing football, with patience, with five or six or seven passes and then being able to find the right moment to go forward and score.”
Kaze was not as happy with what happened after that goal blitz. Chiefs never looked in danger of losing their lead, but they did concede a sloppy own goal in the second half.
“I believe we lacked a bit of concentration and that led to us not scoring more goals in the second half,” he said.
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“I believe we could have scored more than three. But it was (still) a very good day for everyone.”
Chiefs will now return to domestic action, as they travel to KZN to take on Durban City in the Betway Premiership on Friday.
Amakhosi need to find their feet again domestically, having failed to win any of their last four Premiership games, while also exiting the Carling Knockout at the hands of Stellenbosch.