Kaizer Chiefs Striker Tipped to Tear Apart Al Masry in CAF Confederation Cup Clash

South African giants Kaizer Chiefs are set to begin their CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Egyptian club Al Masry and one of their players has been tipped to play a crucial role.

Chiefs will return to continental football for the first time since the 2020-21 season, when they reached the final, while it is their first time in the Confederation Cup group stages.

The Glamour Boys take on Al Masry in Egypt on Sunday, looking to begin on a high, and have expressed confidence in their preparations ahead of the match, having utilised the two-week international break as their players were not involved in national team duties.

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Serbian coach Vladislav Heric, who has coached a number of teams in South Africa, among them Black Leopards, Maritzburg United and Ajax Cape Town, feels striker Ashley Du Preez is the player who will make all the difference for the South African team.

“[Ashley] Du Preez is a very unpredictable player. I think he is right for cup competitions; he is that type of player,” Heric told KickOff.

“Some players are good when they come [in] as a sub. So, I believe Du Preez will win the match for Chiefs on Sunday.”

Heric’s choice of match winner is a surprise given Du Preez has played sparingly this season with just three starts from his seven appearances, a period in which he has not scored a goal.

The striker also gets a lot of flack for missing clear-cup chances but the veteran tactician has confidence in the former Stellenbosch FC striker.

“Yes, he might be missing chances, but he can’t miss them forever. That is my belief,” added Heric. “Our biggest problem in South Africa is that if a player misses two or three chances, we put him on the bench. That’s why we don’t have strikers today.”

Chiefs will play at the Suez Stadium in Ismailia on Sunday before another big test at home to two-time winners of the competition Zamalek in Polokwane next Saturday and there is hope that they will do well after their impressive start to the season.