ELIMINATED: Chiefs crash out of Confed Cup
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CAF Confederation Cup
ELIMINATED: Chiefs crash out of Confed Cup
Oct 23, 2026 – 05:13 pm
By Kickoff writer
Kaizer Chiefs failed to progress to the CAF Confederation Cup group stages after losing to Red Arrows on penalties
CAF Confederation CupTeams: Kaizer Chiefs v Red ArrowsResult: 1-0 (1-1 aggregate)Scorers: Cross (65′)
Chiefs faced an uphill task in the return-leg and needed an outright victory to surpass their counterparts from Zambia, but there was a big change in the Amakhosi goal as Bruce Bvuma came in for Renaldo Leaner, who picked up an injury in the team’s final practice session.
The Amakhosi were well aware of the mission and made a strong start when a fast-pace move around the six-yard area released Thulani Mabaso for a shot out on the far side, but goalkeeper Charles Kalumba smothered the effort.
Arrows responded to the scare and threatened the Amakhosi after a captain Paul Katema came short to the edge of the area to connect with a reverse pass following a loose ball and fired in the side-netting.
Chiefs came alive once more late in the half and were very close to making the breakthrough with a free header at the far post by Pule Mmodi from a cross on the byline by Reeve Frosler, but he couldn’t beat Kalumba.
With the visitors difficult to breach, the Amakhosi decided to shuffle up their stall ten minutes in the second half and summoned in Mfundo Vilakazi for Faiz Abrahams.
Chiefs remained in high spirts around the midway mark of the second half and made their presence felt when Bradley Cross leaped on the end of a clever free-kick by Vilakazi to head into the bottom-corner.
The Airmen looked to pull one back to regain control on aggregate, but instead the Amakhosi went on the front-foot and very nearly doubled the lead after Mmodi snapped a cutback from Vilakazi over the top.
Chiefs continued to fluff their lines up top as Shabalala got in-behind for a one-on-one following a forward pass by substitute Ethan Chislett, but he couldn’t get the better of Kalumba.
With no winner outright nor on aggregate, the match went to a penalty shoot-out to determine a winner – and unfortunately for the Amakhosi, it wasn’t to be as Chiefs missed three spot-kicks, with Chislett missing the decisive kick to send Arrows through to the group stages.
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