"We are very well prepared for tomorrow," said Da Cruz.
Fernando da Cruz coach of Kaizer Chiefs during the Betway Premiership 2026/27 Kaizer Chiefs Media Day at Kaizer Chiefs Village in Nasrec on 12 October 2026 ©Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz believes the side will be able to cope with an injury crisis in central midfield, when they take on Stellenbosch FC in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday evening at FNB Stadium.
Chiefs confirm five injuries
The Amakhosi coach confirmed on Monday that midfielders Lebohang Maboe, Siphesihle Ndlovu and Adolf Mtasingwa are all unavailable for the Stellies game, along with winger Langelihle Phili and goalkeeper Brandon Petersen.
“We are very well prepared for tomorrow,” said Da Cruz.
“I am not happy the players are injured but it is important that we focus on the players available.”
Sibongiseni ‘Ox’ Mthethwa is likely to start against Stellies while Ethan Chislett and former Chiefs DDC captain Thulani Mabaso are among the other options that De Cruz could turn to.
Chiefs, like all the other Premier Soccer League teams, have had some time away from competitive action thanks to the international break.
“We know it will be a tough game tomorrow, but after a few days off, the players have trained very well and with a lot of intensity. You know when there is a break it is not easy to come back but we have prepared well.”
Chiefs are unbeaten in the Premiership this season, but went into the international break on the back of consecutive draws against Polokwane City and Golden Arrows.
Da Cruz – ‘I am very happy with the football we have played’
Da Cruz is mainly happy with what he has seen from his charges up to now.
“I am very happy with the football we have played, the players understand our game model very well,” he said.
“We have played quality football but there are weaknesses we have worked on. That is efficiency in the box to score more goals, and individual mistakes. We need more clean sheets and you won’t concede if you don’t make these mistakes.”
Despite being undefeated in their opening seven league matches, Chiefs are still six points behind Orlando Pirates and seven behind Mamelodi Sundowns.
Can Chiefs challenge?
And Da Cruz, who watched Sundowns beat Pirates in the MTN8 final this weekend, seems uncertain whether they can challenge the Buccaneers and Masandawana for the league this season.
“I watched a very good game this weekend between the teams that have achieved the title for the moment (Pirates are reigning champions and Sundowns won eight league titles in a row before that).
“We saw at the beginning of the season that we could compete against Sundowns in one game (Chiefs drew 1-1 with Sundowns on August 15).
“But our objective is to compete through the whole season, to repeat this (kind of) performance to compete against them in the PSL. For that (whether Chiefs can challenge) I don’t have an answer if we can or not.”
