Kaizer Chiefs face a tough challenge in Durban tomorrow as their Zambian opponents refuse to sit back and defend a slender first-leg lead.

Red Arrows arrive at Moses Mabhida Stadium with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Ndola. The winners of this second preliminary round tie will advance to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage. That place is worth about R6,6 million, the amount CAF pays teams that finish third or fourth in their groups.

Red Arrows captain Saddam Yusuf Phiri set the tone clearly. “We want to kill off the game here if we can, so the boys will be up for it,” he said. The Airmen are not planning a cautious approach despite their lead.

Assistant coach Kalililo Kakonje backed the same message. “At this stage of the competition, we cannot look to sit back when we are sitting on a slender 1-0 lead. I think that is not enough. We are not here to defend because the team we are playing against is capable of scoring more than one. We are looking to try and qualify.”

Kakonje knows Durban well after spending five years playing for Golden Arrows, Nathi Lions and AmaZulu. He steps in for head coach Chisi Mbewe, who was not well enough for the pre-match interviews.

The Zambian side also spoke of wanting to make history. “We are looking to make history as Red Arrows and get into the group stages, so it is a challenge for us,” Kakonje added. “Playing a team of Chiefs’ calibre away from home, we know that it is going to be a very tough game. They will be looking to turn the tables. They will have the 12th player behind them, but we are looking to join the other four teams that have made it to the group stages in Zambia.”

Arrows also said they worked on finishing chances after missing several opportunities in the first leg. They expect Chiefs to come out differently at home.

For Amakhosi, the task is clear. They must overturn the deficit in front of their supporters. A win by two clear goals would send them through. Anything less leaves the tie on a knife-edge. The stakes are high for both clubs as they chase a place in the group stages and the financial reward that comes with it.

Source: https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2113286819064185263