Contrary to reports that Kaizer Chiefs’ stunning 2 – 1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals on Sunday resulted in Amakhosi securing automatic participation in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup, the lads from Naturena may still have some work to do to book their ticket to the African competition in the new season.
Chiefs have had a 10-year trophy drought, and their fans were quick to celebrate the fact that by booking a place in the final after defeating Sundowns at Loftus Stadium, they had already secured a spot in the CAF interclub competition.
No guarantees
However, reaching the final of the Nedbank Cup does not guarantee them an automatic spot.
Even though Amakhosi’s cup final opponents (Pirates) look to have secured a place in the CAF Champions League, as they are more likely to finish number two in the Betway Premiership, Chiefs may have to actually defeat the Buccaneers in the final to make sure of qualifying for the CAF competition.
It could also depend on the PSL discretion or on Stellenbosch FC, who could reach the finals of the current Confederations Cup and win the tournament – meaning that they would automatically qualify for a spot next season.
The CAF Confed Cup stipulates: “The winner of the CAF Confederation Cup is the only automatic qualifier in the next edition of the tournament.”
Champions League and the Confederations Cup
The PSL are one of the few allowed by CAF to have two clubs in both the Champions League and the Confederations Cup. Usually, the Nedbank Cup winners and the team that finishes third on the PSL standings get their ticket to the tournament. Chiefs are unlikely to finish third if one takes a look at the current log table.
Coach Nasreddine Nabi’s boys are a little bit far off the mark – they are sitting at number eight. And they have played more games and are eight points behind third-placed Stellies.
So, Amakhosi will have to clobber the high-flying Pirates in the final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on May 10 if they want to go and play with the big boys up on the African continent. And if they do not, it will be a disappointing end to another season, and the long wait for a trophy will continue.
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