- Kaizer Chiefs confirmed that three players will be unavailable for Friday's second-leg tie against Red Arrows
- The Soweto giants head into the home fixture trailing 1-0, needing to win by at least two clear goals to advance
- Red Arrows head coach Chisi Mbewe rated his side's chances of qualifying at eight out of ten despite playing away
Kaizer Chiefs will be forced to field a depleted squad when they host Zambia's Red Arrows on Friday night in the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup play-off tie.
The Soweto club heads into the fixture at a significant disadvantage, having lost the first leg 1-0 in Zambia. To progress to the group stages, Chiefs must win the return match by at least two goals.
Amakhosi's Injury Concerns
Three players have been ruled out of the contest. Langelihle Phili, who signed for the club from Stellenbosch FC, has been absent since sustaining an injury in August and is yet to return to full fitness. Forward Khanyisa Mayo is similarly unavailable, having been injured during pre-season preparations.
Thabiso Monyane adds to the absentee list after being substituted during last weekend's first-leg match against Red Arrows. His participation on Friday is not expected.
On a more encouraging note, goalkeeper Brandon Petersen is anticipated to be fit in time for the clash. Despite his return to training, Renaldo Leaner is expected to retain the starting position between the posts.
Red Arrows Coach Backs His Side
Red Arrows head coach Chisi Mbewe spoke confidently ahead of the trip to Johannesburg, backing his team to secure a place in the group stage.
"I can assure you that this time around, Red Arrows is qualifying for the group stage," Mbewe said. "On a scale of one to ten? I would say eight out of ten. We're only maybe disappointed on the part where we created a lot of chances but only managed to convert one goal."
The result carries significant weight for Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz. Failing to overturn the deficit and exit the competition at this stage is expected to increase scrutiny on his position at the club.
Source: Briefly News
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