Kaizer Chiefs Back Coach Da Cruz Despite CAF Exit - Trophy Pressure Mounts on Tuesday

Ralph Staniforth

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

Ralph Staniforth 2 hours ago

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Kaizer Chiefs have reaffirmed confidence in head coach Fernando Da Cruz after their CAF Confederation Cup elimination.
Da Cruz believes the team dominated but missed too many chances to secure group stage qualification.
Chiefs now aim for success in the Carling Knockout, facing TS Galaxy with pressure to deliver domestic silverware.

Kaizer Chiefs crashed out of the CAF Confederations Cup on Friday night (Getty Images).

Chiefs reaffirm support for Da Cruz

Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr. has reaffirmed the club’s support for head coach Fernando Da Cruz following Amakhosi’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup after a 3-2 penalty shootout defeat to Zambia’s Red Arrows, with the tie ending 1-1 on aggregate.
Chiefs reaffirm support for Da Cruz
Da Cruz laments missed chances after CAF disappointment
Tuesday’s TS Galaxy clash carries added importance

“We would like to reaffirm our full support for, and confidence in, the Head Coach and the entire technical team,” Motaung Jr. said, adding that the club remained committed to its long-term sporting vision.

Da Cruz laments missed chances after CAF disappointment

Chiefs won the second leg 1-0 through Bradley Cross’s header but failed to convert enough chances to secure qualification for the group stages, extending the scrutiny on Fernando Da Cruz after their MTN8 exit. “We dominated the whole game and we created all the chances. We lost on penalties, but we should have won the game before. We should have won 3-0 or 4-0,” Da Cruz told SABC Sport, defending his team’s performance despite the disappointing outcome.

Tuesday’s TS Galaxy clash carries added importance

Chiefs face TS Galaxy in the Carling Knockout last 16 on Tuesday, 27 October, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake and pressure mounting for the club to turn performances into results.

Amakhosi have won just one major trophy since 2015—the 2025 Nedbank Cup, which ended their decade-long trophy drought—making a strong domestic cup run particularly important as they seek silverware and renewed confidence among their supporters.

Ralph Staniforth is a South African sports journalist, editor and betting writer who has worked in sports media since 2012.

With a background in Sports Science, he has covered a wide range of sports and interviewed leading players and coaches across South African rugby, cricket and football.

His sports betting work covers both South African and international markets, combining his knowledge of sport with extensive experience analysing fixtures, teams, form and betting markets.

Ralph specialises in football and rugby, while also covering cricket, tennis and golf. His work includes match previews, betting tips, betting guides and broader analysis of the sports betting industry.

You can find more from Ralph at Muckrack and LinkedIn.