Kaizer Chiefs' coach Nasreddine Nabi aim for clinical edge against Golden Arrows

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi is urging patience and persistence as his team continues to search for their cutting edge in front of goal.

Ahead of their Betway Premiership clash against Golden Arrows in Durban on Saturday afternoon, Nabi is confident that Amakhosi’s growing cohesion and upcoming reinforcements will lead to greater clinical efficiency.

Chiefs head into the weekend buoyed by a strong performance in their 1-1 draw against reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium on Wednesday.

It was their most fluid and confident display under Nabi’s leadership, with the Soweto giants dictating large parts of the contest and forcing Sundowns onto the back foot. But despite the dominance, their continued failure to convert pressure into goals remains a lingering concern.

The Glamour Boys had started the season brightly, winning their first three league fixtures with narrow scorelines of 2-0, 1-0, and 1-0, but the lack of goal-scoring flair has been a consistent talking point. Even in their 2-0 win over Stellenbosch, one goal came from the penalty spot.

Returning to the touchline for the first time since compassionate leave, Nabi was candid in his post-match assessment, acknowledging the attacking shortfall but refusing to panic.

“I think we need to continue to work,” said the Tunisian. “Besides that, there are other players who are coming in. So, with more work, we believe we’ll develop that killer instinct in the future. But today, we played against a quality Sundowns side with great defenders.”

He was quick to defend the performance of his starting strikers, especially young Wandile Duba, who was tireless in pressing but lacked sharpness in the final third. “When you run too much, you lose freshness when you get into the box,” Nabi explained, hinting that fatigue and overexertion had affected finishing.

Chiefs have moved to bolster their attacking options with the signings of Etiosa Ighodaro and Flavio Silva. However, both players have yet to feature. Ighodaro recently suffered a training injury, while Silva only completed his paperwork just before the Sundowns fixture.

“His last game was in the Toyota Cup against Asante Kotoko. Today was a big game, and to throw him in after a month without competitive football would not have been ideal,” said Nabi of Silva’s absence from the matchday squad. “We are confident that in the future, he’ll be able to help us.”

The club has also brought in promising young talent, with Lebohang Mabo, Luke Baartman, and Asanele Velebayi joining the senior setup. With Baartman and Velebayi still in their teens, Nabi made it clear these signings are part of a broader vision for sustained success.

“The new players we’ve brought in are for both the present and the future,” he said. “They are big investments for the future, and the team will improve this season.”

While goals have proven elusive, Chiefs’ defensive solidity has been a major bright spot. They remain the only team in the league yet to concede a goal.

Nabi attributed this to collective work and the successful adaptation of players like Thabiso Monyane and Paseka Mako, who have slotted into the right- and left-back roles with minimal fuss.

“During the season, we’ve done a lot of work on our defensive structure, but it’s really about the team’s ability to work and play together,” he said.

“When you speak about Monyane and Mako — Mako is a left-back, and you’ll remember that we didn’t have a specialist in that position. Bradley Cross is a centre-back, TT Ditlhokwe and Edmilson Dove are also centre-backs. So, we needed a specialist.”

He also confirmed that Reeve Frosler, returning from injury, will soon rejoin the defensive rotation.

With a solid foundation laid at the back, and new firepower waiting in the wings, Nabi remains optimistic that Kaizer Chiefs are on the right trajectory — and that goals will come with time, rhythm, and hard work.