Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando da Cruz explained the defeat to Orlando Pirates due to missed chances and the opponent playing with ten men

Coach Fernando Da Cruz plans to actively involve Vandile Dubu and Rashawn Dortlie in the upcoming Soweto derby, seeing them as key elements for the team.

The Chiefs team will face their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates at the country's biggest sporting event, which will take place on Saturday afternoon at the FNB Stadium. Amakhosi enter the match confidently after a convincing 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy in the Round of 16 of the Carlin Cup on Tuesday evening.

Considering the recent impressive form of the Pirates—who qualified for the CAF Champions League group stage, while the Chiefs narrowly missed the Confederation Cup—Amakhosi are expected to be underdogs, which may reduce the pressure on Da Cruz's team.

Nevertheless, Da Cruz aims to debut the Soweto derby with a win. He is counting on Dubu to continue his rich streak of successful performances following the young striker's impressive hat-trick against the Rockets. Dubu showed great boldness after the match, responding to Galaxy's trolling on social media by stating that Galaxy considers themselves lions when they are actually donkeys.

These open statements come at a critical moment when the Chiefs are preparing to fight for three points and pride. Da Cruz noted: 'I am very happy for Dubu. He is a young player who has ups and downs. I think he just needs to improve his consistency.'

He added that Dubu is a 'young and very good player. He is capable of dropping deeper and making runs into open spaces. He is very good in attack, but he must continue to work hard and listen to the coaching staff. If he does that, he can become a Bafana Bafana player too.'

Furthermore, it appears that the Chiefs' defense has stabilized thanks to the return of international player Bafana Rashawn Dortlie, who helped secure a clean sheet on Tuesday—a vital factor ahead of the confrontation with the Pirates' attack.

Da Cruz commented on Dortlie: 'Dortlie possesses very good technical abilities. He easily breaks lines and finds players in space. He is strong in the air and wins duels.'

The coach explained that they had needed Dortlie for a long time, but an injury delayed his return. 'For several weeks, I hesitated to start him, especially in CAF matches. But based on what we saw from him in training before this match, we decided that now is the right time to field him.'

He concluded his comments by saying: 'I am very happy for Dortlie; he has been away for a long time. You could see that it was an emotional game for him, and I am happy with his performance.'

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz reiterated his stance that great achievements require time, drawing parallels with how two leading global clubs waited a long time for their triumph.

In recent weeks, Da Cruz has been under intense public scrutiny due to the lack of consistency in his team's performance. Currently, the team is experiencing a four-match winless streak, which includes three consecutive draws in the league and a recent defeat in a continental tournament.

The 1-0 loss to 'Red Arrows' in the first match of the group stage play-offs of the Confederation Cup put Chiefs in a difficult position, forcing the team to aim for a turnaround in the second match at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday evening.

Despite the growing pressure, Da Cruz remains hopeful of restoring the club's former glory and bringing joy back to the fans, citing examples from English and French giants who endured long periods of stagnation before achieving success.

Da Cruz reminded everyone: 'I will take the example of Arsenal – it took them seven years with Mikel Arteta to win the Premier League title. And Paris Saint-Germain spent 14 years to win the UEFA Champions League after acquiring Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).' He concluded: 'Therefore, when you want to build a project, it takes time. It doesn't happen overnight.'

Not everyone agrees that Da Cruz should be given time to fix the situation, as some fans have already lost patience. Nevertheless, the French tactical mind remains unfazed.

Da Cruz stated: 'Everyone is free to think what they want, but for us, the most important thing is to focus on the project and continue developing the club. Once again, everyone has the right to their opinion – they are free to express it.'

Amid the team's difficulties, there have been reports of a potential decline in Da Cruz's authority in the dressing room. This occurred particularly after a conflict erupted between goalkeeper Renaldo Liner and defender Riv Froesler over the weekend in Ndole, requiring intervention. However, one of the captains, Inacioa Miguel, refused to participate in administrative or managerial discussions.

Miguel emphasized: 'As a player, I am completely focused on the game, on the 90 minutes and daily training. What happens off the pitch is not my concern. Out of respect for the club, I cannot talk about it. My concentration is strictly directed towards the game and what I can contribute to the team.'

The coach of Kaizer Chiefs, Fernando da Cruz, appealed to the fans for unity among players, technical staff, and supporters, as 'Amakhosi' faced the possibility of an early exit from the CAF Confederation Cup.

The team suffered a 1-0 defeat against Zambian club Red Arrows in the first match of the second preliminary round at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, which requires them to work in the second round.

Since the decisive match is scheduled for next Friday at Moses Mabhida Stadium, da Cruz is counting on fan support to inspire the team to turn things around and maintain their participation in the continental campaign.

Da Cruz stated: 'We need them on Friday for the game to support us because I know the team is capable of changing the result.' The French coach emphasized that during difficult times, everyone associated with the club must move in the same direction, rather than letting pressure divide the team.

He added: 'The most important thing is that in difficult moments we must remain united: players, staff, club, and fans, to get through this period and achieve the best results.'

Chiefs will require a more convincing attacking performance after struggling to create clear goal-scoring opportunities in Zambia. Da Cruz admitted that changes might be necessary if his team wants to overcome Red Arrows and compensate for the deficit.

The coach noted: 'Certainly, we need to change something to create more chances. Usually, we create more chances in the PSL.' He also acknowledged that the first match was unusual due to his team's lack of attacking output, making it important for the technical staff to assess what went wrong before the return match.

'This is the first time we haven't created many chances, so we need to analyze it, and then we need to change something to have a chance to qualify.'

Now Chiefs' task is to put these words into action in front of their home fans. They need to win by at least two goals to guarantee qualification for the main round, while a one-goal victory would send the match into extra time if the aggregate score remains level.

For da Cruz, the message is clear: 'Amakhosi' needs collective response both on the field and in the stands if they want to avoid early continental setbacks.