Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has called for unity among the players, technical staff, club and supporters as the South African giants prepare to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Red Arrows in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Glamour Boys suffered a narrow defeat in the first leg of their second-round tie at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday, with Alassane Diarra scoring the decisive goal in the 76th minute to hand the Zambian champions a crucial advantage.
Da Cruz acknowledged his side’s disappointing performance but remains confident that Chiefs can turn the tie around when the two teams meet in the return leg in Johannesburg on Friday.
“It’s a difficult moment, and I know very well that the supporters are not happy. Today, we lost. But the first leg is followed by a return match,” Da Cruz said.
“We need the supporters for the game on Friday to support us because I know that the team is able to reverse the result.
“What is most important is that in difficult moments we must stay united — players, staff, club and supporters — to get through this period and get better results.”
The Frenchman admitted that Chiefs lacked their usual attacking threat against the Airmen, revealing that it was the first time this season his side had created so few chances.
Da Cruz insists changes will be necessary to improve their attacking output and give the team a better chance of progressing to the group stage.
“We have to be more impactful, more offensive. It’s the first game since the start of the season where we have created so few chances, but it’s not a habit,” he said.
“We are going to put something in place to allow us to reverse the result. For sure, we need to change something to create more chances.
“Normally, we create more chances in the PSL. It’s the first time that we didn’t create a lot of chances, so we need to analyse and then change something to be able to qualify.”
Red Arrows will head into Friday’s return leg with a slender advantage, knowing that another disciplined performance could secure their place in the lucrative group stage.
For Chiefs, the task is clear: improve their attacking threat, overturn the deficit and keep their continental ambitions alive.
