Kaizer Chiefs secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Red Arrows in the CAF Confederation Cup 2nd Preliminary Round on Friday. The win at FNB Stadium sends the club through to the next stage of the continental competition.
Chiefs controlled the match, enjoying 59 percent of possession and creating six corners to the visitors' three. The decisive goal came from the penalty spot deep into added time, securing a tense but deserved victory.
The result offers a positive note amid a mixed domestic run. Kaizer Chiefs currently sit fifth in the Premier Soccer League with 14 points from eight games, having recorded three wins and five draws so far. Their recent form in the league reads DDDWD, leaving them nine points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. The team's next match is a critical away fixture against arch rivals Orlando Pirates on Saturday 31 October. Across the league season, Chiefs have scored 13 goals and conceded eight for a goal difference of plus five. Their top scorer this season is M. Shabalala with two goals in five appearances.
This continental success follows a 1-0 defeat to the same Red Arrows side just six days prior, making the turnaround and progression all the more important for squad morale. The first leg loss in Zambia was overturned by this single goal victory in Johannesburg. The last meeting with Red Arrows ended Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Red Arrows on Friday 23 October. Their wider recent form across all competitions shows one win, three draws, and one loss from their last five matches.
Attention now turns sharply to a massive domestic fixture. Chiefs face arch rivals Orlando Pirates away on Saturday 31 October in the Premier Soccer League. Pirates are second in the standings, setting up a high stakes Soweto Derby. The club will hope the confidence from this cup win translates into a strong performance in that key league clash.
