Chiefs face stern Stellies as they look to quench trophy drought

Nasreddine Nabi and his Kaizer Chiefs side face a make-or-break situation when they make the trip to face Stellenbosch FC in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqebherha on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

The upcoming fixture will offer Nabi and his chargers an opportunity to take a step closer to securing what will be their first silverware in over 10 years and as a stern Stellies challenge awaits, and there is not a lot of room for failure.

The brief chapter on the fight for a league title was all but closed with just a few games into the season.

But an opportunity to rewrite a fresh script by securing what would be their 14th Nedbank Cup trophy in their club's history could be one they value most in what is currently their most difficult era in terms of silverware considering their rich history.

Through a season that has had more twists than a rollercoaster ride, the Glamour Boys have been consistent at seeing the better of Steve Barker's side in the two occasions they have crossed paths in the Betway Premiership this season.

Psychologically, that could give them the edge heading into this weekend clash.

Despite the double they have done over Stellenbosch this season, Nabi still expects Stellies to give them a good run for their money, especially with the continental exposure the Cape side have had this season.

“It is true that we are playing against a big team that is still competing in the CAF Confederation Cup with an experienced technical team," said Nabi.

“We believe that it is going to be a very tough game; we don't believe for one second that the last two positive results we got against them will count on the upcoming fixture, as even those results were very tight.

“We expect a tough game, but we are here as well to defend our chances and we will do everything possible to have a good performance and go as far as we can in this competition.

“They are going to play on the fact that they have already lost two times and ensure that it doesn't happen for the third time, and they will push their players to make good of the fixture on Saturday.

The Chiefs mentor has continuously asked for patience from the Amakhosi faithful in order for him to build a team that will be competitive for seasons to come, and with the few signs, including that of the team maintaining a place in the top eight, there have been a few positive  signs.

“As Kaizer Chiefs, we know there is a great possibility to go far in this league and that is why we need to concentrate on ourselves. 

“In the process of construction, the biggest particularity is the inconsistency of the performance, technical performance, results and the overall performance of the team.

“Our performance has been up and down, and it happens during the first season when you start a new project.

“If you see the situation for what it is at the moment and what you need for the short-term future and you have analyzed it correctly, you can win the heart of the process and it is very important to understand this because sometimes you think you’re on the right track but you’re not.

“And after all the analyses, we know what we need to do to go up.”