Kaizer Chiefs’ challenges continue to grow under Coach Nasreddine Nabi, who was brought on to revive the team after years of underwhelming performances.
This past Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns eliminated Chiefs from the Carling Knockout in a dominant 4-0 display at FNB Stadium.
Nabi chose to rely on young talents like Mduduzi Shabalala, Mfundo Vilakazi, and Wandile Duba for this critical match, banking on their potential to make a difference.
Since Nabi’s arrival, Chiefs have shown some improvement, with the Tunisian coach receiving praise for his confidence in youth.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi, who has now defeated Chiefs twice this season, commented on the team’s reliance on younger players.
“I don’t want to sound bad but I think the youngsters that Kaizer Chiefs has brought into their first team are very good young boys, very good young boys,” Mngqithi said, adding that he would also welcome such skilled players on his own team.
While he emphasised their talent, he also warned of the risks of overloading young players with too much responsibility, as this might cripple their growth.
The Sundowns coach believes that Nabi put the young players under intense pressure by matching them up against his experienced squad.
“The biggest mistake that you can make with players like those [youngsters] is to put the load of a team as big as Kaizer Chiefs on their shoulders.”
Reflecting on the match, Mngqithi expressed disappointment that they left Soweto with only four goals, feeling they could have scored even more.
Despite this concern, Mngqithi praised Nabi and his coaching team for successfully incorporating the youngsters, who have been instrumental in Chiefs’ top performances this season.
With his team’s emphatic victory over Chiefs, Mngqithi now looks toward his chance to win his first trophy as Sundowns’ head coach.
