Perhaps, just perhaps, Nabi’s Chiefs can still salvage something from 2024-25

As much as Chiefs’ inconsistency has been panned for most of the season, Nasreddine Nabi’s side have the chance to salvage a lot as the end of the 2024-25 campaign nears.

Again, their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal win against Stellenbosch FC at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday had much that could be criticised and plenty that was not convincing.

Chiefs started well enough in the packed, noisy Gqeberha venue, Inàcio Miguel’s 20th-minute penalty delighting Amakhosi’s army of Eastern Cape supporters.

After that, it all went quite flat, with Andre de Jong equalising in the 86th, and it took a much-debated refereeing decision by Sikhumbuzo Gasa and his officials to allow Pule Mmodi’s 95th-minute strike with his knee from a corner to stand, to avoid extra time. That substitute Happy Mashiane’s third goal for Chiefs, which made the scoreline seem far more dominant than the display, came in the 11th-minute of what was supposed to be six minutes of added time (there had been much discussion among the officials over Mmodi’s goal, holding up play, but still) amplified the buzz surrounding the officiating.

Yet the upshot is Chiefs are into a rare cup semifinal and two matches away from a trophy. It has not just been stumbling somewhat through a quarterfinal to get there that gives the club hope of something still being taken from this season. There have been other signs of a tentative upturn as some of the January signings have seemed to have an effect — notably Thabo Cele and Glody Lilepo. While Chiefs remain wallowing in eighth place in the Premiership, some decent recent results mean only three points separate them from third-placed Stellies, though the Cape side has played a game less.

Chiefs lost three times in their last 10 games in all competitions, but they also won four, drawing three. The previous 11 matches had gone far worse — five defeats, three draws and three wins.

Nabi said last week the target is for Chiefs to qualify for a Confederation of African Football (Caf) interclub competition. They can do that by winning the Nedbank or finishing third in the league. Saturday’s result left Amakhosi still in the fight for both those goals.

“It’s true that now it’s two games from a trophy, but the only thing we have to think about is the next game,” Chiefs’ coach, speaking as usual through assistant coach Cedric Kaze as his translator, said after the win against Stellies.

“It’s true our ambition is to go all the way. But we are taking it game by game. It’s true our desire is to go to Caf competition next season — it’s very important for a big club like Kaizer Chiefs to be on the continental scene. But also for the league we have to play all the way, because it can also give us the opportunity to go to Caf.”

Nabi, interjecting to add to what his translator said, as he often does when he particularly wants to stress a point, added: “But the process is first. It’s not because I win today [that Chiefs now are aiming for trophies] — no, no, the process remains first.”

So, strange as it may sound after such an unconvincing season all round — even one where Nabi has repeatedly stressed the priority is almost entirely rebuilding, and where there are many questions over squad balance and depth — it is not inconceivable Chiefs can salvage something more. A trophy or third place in the league — after last season’s worst-ever 10th — could be pointed to as reasonable signs of progress by Nabi.

But to do either of those, there remains much for Chiefs to do in terms of on-field performance. In the Nedbank, for example, Pirates (holders of four out of six of the last domestic cups) and trophy machines Mamelodi Sundowns remain to be overcome. The end goal is in sight for Chiefs — depending how things unfold, it might as well be an impenetrable fortress away.

Nabi put on a brave face about how his team tailed off after taking the lead on Saturday. It points to plenty of fragility remaining. But his side also negotiated past the team in third place in the league and, under Steve Barker, arguably the toughest club combination in South Africa after Sundowns and Pirates over this and the previous two seasons. Stellies, after battling in the middle of this campaign following much plundering of their player resources by bigger clubs, had been enjoying a resurgence with six games unbeaten in all competitions and one defeat in 10 games.

Sometimes when you have the advantage you need to defend it and unfortunately that’s where we conceded on a set piece. But we are happy we came back.

—  Nasreddine Nabi

 “It’s true, after scoring and especially in the second half we played a bit deeper, but that’s also understandable when you are playing against a very good team like Stellenbosch,” Nabi said. “Sometimes you can’t control the game for 90 minutes — the opponents are also taking very big risks to attack more [to equalise and get back into the game].

“I feel probably in the second half we were losing the ball too quickly — that’s probably why we couldn’t put our foot on the ball more. But, you know, it’s a tough game against a very good team.

“Sometimes when you have the advantage you need to defend it and unfortunately that’s where we conceded on a set piece. But we are happy we came back.”

After over nine years of suffering, it would mean the world to Amakhosi fans and save the club much embarrassment if Nabi could preside over avoiding the ignominy of a decade without a trophy. Given how brittle his team has looked, and how long the drought has persisted, supporters should know better than to get their hopes up too far.

Yet if the coach can pull it off, it would go a long way to buying more faith in his project and set up the chances of a more competitive season in 2025-26 far better than it would going without any silverware in 2024-25.