Doctor Khumalo backs Chiefs’ Shabalala to get his mojo back

‘You are going through a phase, everything will be sorted,’ he tells the Chiefs midfielder.

Kaizer Chiefs legend Doctor ’16V’ Khumalo believes Mduduzi Shabalala’s fortunes in front of goal could improve at any moment

Shabalala’s Chiefs woes

Shabalala has borne the brunt of criticism from some Chiefs supporters, particularly after missing several good chances in Amakhosi’s 2-1 Nedbank Cup last 32 defeat at Stellenbosch.

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The Chiefs midfield maestro missed another fantastic opportunity to put Chiefs 3-1 up against Al Masry on Sunday in their penultimate Caf Confederation Cup Group D match.

A 3-1 win would have qualified Chiefs for the Confederation Cup quarterfinals before their clash with Zamalek in Suez on Saturday. Now Chiefs need at least a point to guarantee progress to the last eight.

“These are footballing problems, you must understand and be stronger,” said Khumalo on Shabalala this week at the announcement of a new partnership between Carling and Chiefs.

“Don’t lose composure or focus. You are who you are because God gave you the talent. You are going through a phase, everything will be sorted. If it happens in the game against Zamalek (on Sunday) and you become the hero, that is when you can say it is the beginning of good things.

“So don’t feel bad about being criticised. Criticism propels you to perform.”

Khumalo, meanwhile, says Chiefs just need to maintain the form that has lifted them to the top of Group D to seal their place in the quarterfinals.

’16V’ played for Chiefs against Zamalek in the 1993 Caf Champions League, where a 1-0 loss in Cairo meant Amakhosi went out in the second preliminary round on the away goals rule.

Khumalo – ‘They are a very good team’

“I watched Zamalek when we played them in Polokwane (a 1-1 draw in Amakhosi’s second Group D match),” added Khumalo.

“They are a very good team, well organised with good players. It is going to be a difficult game away. Zamalek also want to maintain their standards and have won it (the Confederation Cup) before.”

Zamalek have won the Caf Confederation Cup twice, in the 2018/19 and 2023/24 seasons.

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“I don’t think they (Zamalek) will want Al Masry (another Egyptian side) to go to the next stage with Chiefs. People think Chiefs winning games by small margins – 1-0, 2-1, 1-0 – is a problem but the game has changed. Everyone is talking about the strikers but if you want to win even the defenders can score.

“For you guys (Chiefs’ players) to be where you are, you have done it yourself, it has taken them to first position (in Group D). But they need to maintain it.”