For a little over twenty minutes on Friday night, Durban believed. Bradley Cross had climbed above everybody and the tie was level. Then came penalties. The woodwork, twice. And a Zambian goalkeeper who had been waiting all night for his moment.
The Chiefs v Red Arrows result is a win on the night and a defeat on the tie. Kaizer Chiefs beat Red Arrows 1-0, the second preliminary round finished 1-1 on aggregate, and the visitors won the shoot-out 3-2 to take the CAF Confederation Cup group-stage place. Chiefs are out of Africa before November.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Result | Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Red Arrows |
| Aggregate | 1-1 |
| Penalties | Red Arrows won 3-2 |
| Goal | Bradley Cross 66′ |
| Venue | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban |
| Stage | CAF Confederation Cup, second preliminary round, second leg |
| Through to the group stage | Red Arrows |
How the Chiefs v Red Arrows result unfolded
Fernando Da Cruz changed five of the side that lost in Zambia, by FARPost’s count. With Renaldo Leaner unavailable, Bruce Bvuma kept goal, and Thulani Mabaso made his first start of the season, according to The Citizen. Mabaso had an early chance and hit it straight at Charles Kalumba, the Arrows goalkeeper who would end the night as the story.
Pule Mmodi was the most persistent Chiefs threat: a soft header into Kalumba’s arms shortly before the break, a curler wide after it and a shot Kalumba gathered just past the hour, The Citizen and iDiski Times reported. Arrows were no passengers: Ackim Mumba found the side netting in the first half. It was goalless at the break.
The breakthrough came from a set piece, the very thing that undid Chiefs in Ndola. Mfundo Vilakazi, on in the second half, whipped in a free kick on 66 minutes and Cross met it with a powerful header. Level on aggregate, with almost half an hour to find another.
It never came. Vilakazi slipped Mduduzi Shabalala in on 79 minutes and he shot over from close range. Later Ethan Chislett sent Shabalala through and Kalumba stood up to him, and substitute Asanele Velebayi blazed over. A second goal would have taken Chiefs through. One only bought a shoot-out.
Penalties: the woodwork and Kalumba
Lebohang Maboe took Chiefs’ first kick and struck the crossbar. Bvuma saved from John Pweto, but it was not enough: Kalumba kept out Reeve Frosler, and Chislett, the substitute, also hit the bar, The Citizen reported. Three Chiefs misses, confirmed by TimesLIVE and iDiski Times, left two successful kicks against Arrows’ three.
Da Cruz: Chiefs dominated
Da Cruz did not see a team short of belief. Speaking to the SABC after the shoot-out, he said Chiefs had dominated, created the chances and should have won by three or four goals before penalties, The Citizen and iDiski Times reported. He rejected any suggestion that his players lack confidence.
He has a point about the chances. He also has a pattern to answer for. Chiefs scored once in 180 minutes over two legs, and a shortage of goals ran through the league draws too, two in three games before Ndola, as our numbers piece on the Chiefs draws showed.
Why this exit stings
Chiefs reached the group stage last season. Going out at home in the preliminary round is a step back, and it lands on a coach who only took over at the start of this campaign. Our return-leg preview set out what Friday meant, and our report from Ndola has the header that made the climb necessary.
For Red Arrows, this is history. The Zambians are in the group stage for the first time, ZamFoot and MDNtv reported, a reward for a side that rode out the pressure and trusted its goalkeeper. How these qualifying ties feed the group stage is explained in our guide to the CAF preliminary rounds.
What comes next for Chiefs
There is no time to sulk. Chiefs face TS Galaxy in the last 16 of the knockout cup on Tuesday 27 October at 19:00 at FNB Stadium, according to the PSL. Da Cruz told the SABC the squad would return to Johannesburg and begin preparing on Sunday, The Citizen reported. Then comes the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates at the same stadium on Saturday 31 October. The rest of the week’s fixtures are in our weekend and midweek guide.
Africa is gone for this season. The domestic one is very much alive, and Chiefs have a week to show Friday’s football was a beginning, not an ending.