Kaizer Chiefs duo earn high praise from coach Cedric Kaze after top performance

Kaizer Chiefs coach Cedric Kaze has heaped praise on forwards Etiosa Ighodaro and Glody Lilepo after their impressive performance in their 3-1 win over AS Simba.

Chiefs swept aside the Congolese team to make it to the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday with goals from Ighodaro, Zitha Kwinika and Lilepo.

Ighodaro showed his qualities in the box, scoring from a rebound off Lilepo’s pass, while Kwinika connected well with Mfundo Vilakazi’s freekick.

Lilepo rose highest to head in from Vilakazi’s corner as Chiefs took a 3-0 lead inside 26 minutes although Aden McCarthy’s own goal in the second half denied them a clean sheet.

What do Lilepo and Ighodaro bring?

“We wanted to try as well to get the front combination to get players who can give that extra pass, players who can deliver on set-pieces, players as well who can shoot,” Kaze said on SABC after the game.

“To have a player like Ighodaro in the box that is a striker that is physical in the air, it helps us as well. As well as the speed of Lilepo you have different options.”

The tactician was also happy that new signings Asanele Velebayi and Lebohang Maboe got some minutes in the leg, saying with the score at 3-0, it was the right time to introduce them.

Cedric Kaze thrilled with new signings

“They [Velebayi & Maboe] went in very good. It’s those kinds of games where when you have the advantage it’s easy to introduce new players to give them confidence to build momentum for that.”

Chiefs, who last played continental football in 2021, when they reached the CAF Champions League final, will now be looking forward to the draw where they could land some of Africa’s football giants.

The win ended a run of four games without victory for the Soweto giants who will be hoping to build onto it heading into their next fixtures with a match against Durban City set on Friday.