Da Cruz Gives Chiefs Injury Update Ahead of Do-or-Die Red Arrows Clash

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz has given an update on his injury list as Amakhosi prepare for a make-or-break CAF Confederation Cup second leg against Red Arrows on Friday.

Chiefs host the Zambian side in Durban in the second leg of the second preliminary round, needing to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat in Ndola to keep their continental campaign alive.

Who Is Back and Who Isn’t?

Chiefs were missing several key players in Zambia, including Lebohang Maboe, Adolf Mtasingwa, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Langelihle Phili and Brandon Petersen. Da Cruz has not said which of them could return for the decider, though he was pleased with how their recoveries are going.

Two names will definitely miss out. Phili and Khanyisa Mayo are both dealing with long-term injuries and are not expected to feature on Friday.

A Positive Spin on the Treatment Room

Da Cruz chose to focus on the good news, pointing out that muscular injuries have dropped sharply this season. “It’s a good thing to speak about the injured players because since the beginning of the season we decreased the number of muscular injuries,” he said.

“If we compare with other seasons we had only three muscular injuries during this season. The other injuries are contact injuries – very unlucky, if you see for example [Paseka] Mako in pre-season when he broke his arm.”

He is confident the squad will get stronger as players return. “So we are on a good way for injured players, the players that will come back, not now but step by step, they are going to come back from injuries.”

What Chiefs Need

The coach gave no firm timeline for the remaining absentees, but his comments suggest the medical department is making progress.

The task on the pitch is clear. Chiefs must beat Red Arrows by at least two clear goals to go through without a penalty shootout. Anything less could mean an early exit from continental football, so Friday night is a big one for Amakhosi.