World Cup dream over! Kaizer Chiefs’ Bafana Bafana international set for eight or more weeks on the sidelines

Kaizer Chiefs battled Mamelodi Sundowns to a 1-1 draw in the Premier Soccer League outing staged at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Flavio Da Silva gave the Glamour Boys a first-half lead before Colombian attacker Brayan Leon delivered after the break to help his team salvage a point. The defending champions ended the game with a player less after the sending-off of Jayden Adams.

Amakhosi gave a good account of themselves and ended up getting a vital point in their bid to finish in the top three which will guarantee them a CAF Confederation Cup ticket for the 2026/27 campaign.

Chiefs get a point but pay the price

The win ensured the Soweto giants have 48 points from 27 points and with three games remaining, on their side, they have an upper hand to get a continental ticket.

However, the draw on Wednesday came with a price for Amakhosi who have lost Mduduzi Shabalala for a significant period as revealed by co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef. It means he will not be considered for World Cup despite making the stand-by Bafana Bafana list for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations .

“I prefer to discuss about all the team. [Siphesihle] Ndlovu, [Lebohang] Maboe, [Thabiso] Monyane, Given [Msimango], Aiden [McCarthy]. All the players, I think all of them they showed good character today,” Ben Youssef responded when asked about the display by his team.

“Even Shabalala and you see the injury that he got now he will miss one or two month he will be out,” he added.

The next assignment for Kaizer Chiefs will be against Sekhukhune United on Sunday.