‘We will assess him today and tomorrow to see if he can feature, but I am optimistic,’ said Kaze on the Amakhosi skipper.
Kaizer Chiefs have confirmed that striker Khanyisa Mayo has a hamstring injury and will miss Amakhosi’s Caf Confederation Cup clash with AS SImba at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday.
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Mayo had to be stretchered off late in Chiefs’ goalless draw with Siwelele in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday.
Miguel Chiefs doubt
Amakhosi captain Inacio Miguel also faces a late fitness test to see if he is available for the second leg of the final qualifying round for the Confederation Cup group stages. Chiefs and Simba played out a goalless draw in Lubumbashi in the first leg last weekend.
“Mayo is out for this game,” said Chiefs co-head coach Cedric Kaze at the pre-match press conference on Friday.
“We still need to manage and do some tests on Miguel, who was injured at half time against Siwelele,” he added.
“We will assess him today and tomorrow to see if he can feature, but I am optimistic.”
Chiefs do have Portuguese striker Flavio Da Silva ready again after injury, while Etiosa Ighodaro is also available after making his debut against Siwelele.
Chiefs will play in Dobsonville, with FNB Stadium not available on Sunday, but Kaze says there can be no excuses in relation to the venue.
“We have done some measurements of the pitch and surprisingly it is a bigger pitch than at FNB Stadium,” he said.
“There is no excuse, the pitch is beautiful.”
Chiefs’ draw with Siwelele was their fourth consecutive Premiership game without a win. Amakhosi are struggling to find goals, but Kaze insisted they are doing better than many seem to believe.
”The team is in a better place’
“I will cite facts to show you how the team is better and in a very good place,” he said.
“Last season after nine games we had 11 points (in the Premiership) and three defeats. Today we have played nine games and have five points more than last season and one defeat.
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“In the Confederation Cup we went through in the first round and we drew the first leg in the second round. I would say the team is in a better place than the last two or three seasons at this stage. On Sunday everyone knows what we have to do and I am pretty sure we are going to make it happen.”