Chiefs ready to compete with Bucs, Downs for title - Maboe

Kaizer Chiefs midfield dynamo Lebohang Maboe is convinced about their chances of challenging for the league title this season.

The Chiefs midfielder says playing in the CAF Confederation Cup last season shaped them to challenge Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in the domestic championship.

He feels their 1-all draw against Downs a few weeks ago proved that they were capable of competing at the highest level. “We’ve got the squad [to challenge Pirates and Sundowns]. We’ve got the team, we’ve got the coach [Fernando Da Cruz],” Maboe said.

“We need silverware; we want to put smiles on our fans’ faces as well. We also want to leave a legacy... we want to leave the jersey in a better place. If there were any doubts in anyone’s head, I think that performance [against Downs] showed that we are capable.”

Amakhosi couldn’t get out of Confederation Cup group stages last season, ending up finishing third in Group D, with Al Masry of Egypt edging them for the second spot on goal difference as both teams were tied on 11 points.

Even so, Maboe, 31, believes they are now reaping the rewards of participating in the Confed Cup.

“I also think that playing in the Confederation Cup always helped a lot in us giving that performance [against Downs] because we are now used to playing at a high-intensity game or level. Confed Cup shaped us to be able to compete at that level,” he said.

Chiefs, who have won two of their opening four league games with two draws under new coach Da Cruz, next face Siwelele at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday (5.30pm).

Maboe feels they’ve adapted well to Da Cruz, who replaced interim co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze at the start of the season.

“We’ve adapted very well to our new coach. We were so looking forward to working with him, and I also think hearing like a different voice and new ideas that helped us,” he noted.

Sowetan