Kaizer Chiefs will make their fourth appearance in Angola in African club competition when they face 2025 Angolan Cup winners Kabuscorp in a CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first-leg at the 11 November Stadium in Luanda, Angola on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 17:00 (SA time).
This match is Kaizer Chiefs’ seventh overall against Angolan opposition in African club competition, with their first one coming in the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup final.
Amakhosi are undefeated against Angolan clubs, winning three of their previous six games and drawing three.
Good memories
Kaizer Chiefs will have good memories of Luanda having drawn 1-1 there against Inter Club in the first-leg of the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup final, before winning the second leg 1-0 in Johannesburg.
This game will be Kaizer Chiefs’ third at the 11 de Novembro Stadium in the capital city.
They defeated Primero de Agosto 1-0 in a 2020/21 CAF Champions League, first round second-leg game, with Leonardo Castro scoring the game’s only goal in the 41st minute, which handed Amakhosi a 1-0 aggregate win.
Their other game at the sprawling venue came in the same campaign.
Clean sheet
Amakhosi drew 0-0 against Petro Atletico in the group stages on 16 March 2021, where Kaizer Chiefs progressed from Group C along with Moroccan side Wydad AC.
Amakhosi have kept a clean sheet in their last five continental games against Angolan teams.
The only goal they conceded was in the first-leg of the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup final.
The Glamour Boys have also scored 97 goals in CAF competitions and will be looking to take that tally to the century mark, as they make their first appearance in the CAF Confederation Cup since 2018/19.
Overall, this is Kaizer Chiefs’ fourth appearance in the competition along with 2014, 2016 and 2018/19.
Bombshell news
The big news ahead of kick-off is that Kaizer Chiefs will be without head coach Nasreddine Nabi.
In a bombshell revelation this past week, the Soweto giants and Nabi reportedly parted ways.
While Nabi appeared to confirm he would be leaving the club and South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs appeared on Friday to suggest discussions ‘remained ongoing’.
In a statement, Kaizer Chiefs posted: ‘Kaizer Chiefs confirms that head coach Nasreddine Nabi is currently not with the team as discussions between the club and the coach remain ongoing. The matter is internal in nature and is being addressed through the appropriate processes.
‘The club remains focused on ensuring stability and continuity for the players and supporters during this period. As this is an internal matter, no further details will be shared at this stage.’
TEAMS
Kabuscorp
TBA
Kaizer Chiefs
TBA