Fernando da Cruz makes bold declaration after Chiefs MTN8 exit

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando da Cruz has made a bold declaration to the Amakhosi faithful after their elimination in the MTN8 quarterfinals by Golden Arrows over the weekend.

The Glamour Boys succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the FNB Stadium, with goalkeeper and captain Brandon Petersen punished for coming off his line prematurely, which saw him concede an own goal.

Da Cruz says he is disappointed with crashing out of the top eight tournament in the first round, but remains optimistic of mounting a strong run in other cup competitions, promising a well-oiled Chiefs side in the near future.

“To be honest I am very disappointed because we wanted to go forward in this competition, but there's other competitions and we need to work hard, work on our weaknesses, and improve our level,” he said through a translator.

"But I'm also happy about the mindset of the team, it's our base and fans will be proud of the team in the next few weeks.

Having squandered clear-cut scoring opportunities before conceding, the Frenchman has identified the lack of cutting edge as the main area of concern with the 2026/27 campaign gathering steam.

“On the three or four big chances we had in the first half, we have a lack of lucidity inside the box. Also, when we are chasing the game we have a lot of precipitation in our decision-making” Da Cruz added.

"So, we need to be calm and it's things that we need to improve step by step.

Chiefs return to action with a Betway Premiership clash against Sekhukhune United on Wednesday, in a match that will see former co-coach Cedric Kaze return to the Calabash.

Hlayisani Magoro

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Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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