Kaizer Chiefs march into Nedbank Cup semi-finals amid controversy

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi is excited to have reached the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, but he’s not getting carried away, thinking the cup is theirs for the taking.

Chiefs defeated Stellenbosch 3-1 in the Nedbank Cup last eight on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

The result was controversial due to referee Sikhumbuzo Gasa awarding Chiefs’ second goal after his assistant referee initially ruled that George Matlou had fouled goalkeeper Sage Stephens. However, that decision won’t matter for Chiefs, who have now reached their first semi-final in years, taking a huge step toward ending their decade-long trophy drought.

While this achievement will give Nabi some breathing space, as he remains under pressure to deliver results while rebuilding the team, the 59-year-old coach is cautious about assuming Chiefs will reclaim their "Cup Kings of SA Football" title in May.

“It’s true that we are two games away from the trophy, but the only thing we have to think about now is the next game,” Nabi said.

“The next game is the semi-final — if we don’t get past it, we can’t be close to the cup. It’s true that our ambition is to go all the way, but we are taking it game by game. It’s also true that we want to qualify for the CAF competition next season — it’s very important for a big club like Kaizer Chiefs — but it’s equally important to perform well in the league.

“Our league position can also give us the opportunity to qualify for CAF next season. But the process is important – just because we won today doesn’t mean we are where we need to be.”

Nabi is right — Chiefs will meet some of the best teams in the semi-finals, including arch-rivals and defending champions Orlando Pirates, who also secured a spot in the last four on Saturday. Nabi knows a thing or two about winning trophies, having secured back-to-back doubles with Young Africans, but he acknowledges that underestimating any of the remaining teams would be a mistake.

“There’s no special preference because when a team reaches the semi-finals, you have to be careful — they all have their own strengths,” Nabi said. “Even Durban City (who play in the NFD) — if they make it to the semi-finals, it means they are strong, so we have to respect them as well.”

For now, Chiefs will have to put their Nedbank Cup aspirations on hold and focus on improving their Betway Premiership position, as they currently sit eighth on the log. However, they will have to fight for three points against Cape Town City at home on Wednesday and against Richards Bay on Sunday without second-choice goalkeeper Brandon Petersen.

The former Bidvest Wits shot-stopper was shown a red card by Gasa for dissent following a discussion between the referee and his assistant. Nabi expressed his shock at the decision.

“As for the red card, I don’t know what happened — Brandon was close to us, and he didn’t say anything, complain, or talk to the referee,” Nabi said. “He was talking to his teammate, Bruce Bvuma, because we told him the goalkeeper was injured.”