Chiefs’ Nabi cautions against underestimating Stellenbosch

Kaizer Chiefs might have already completed a league double over Stellenbosch FC in the Betway Premiership this season, but their coach Nasreddine Nabi is treading carefully ahead of Saturday’s quarterfinal clash against Stellies at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.  

 The 2-1 victory over the side from the Cape Winelands in the first match was followed by another narrow 1-0 win last month. Based on the recent head-to-head record, fans of the Soweto giants will be confident of reaching the semifinals of the season-ending cup competition. However, Nabi has cautioned against taking Steve Barker and his men lightly when the two teams meet in Gqeberha.

ALSO READ: Chiefs coach Nabi admits to difficult game against Magesi

“We’re playing against a big team that is still in the CAF Confederation Cup this season with an experienced technical staff. We believe that it will be a tough game and we don’t believe for one second that the last two positive results that we got against them are going to count in this one,” Nabi said during Thursday’s press conference at the Nedbank headquarters in Sandton.

“Even those games were very tight and we’re expecting a tough game. We’ll be there to defend our chances and we’ll do everything possible to produce a good performance and go as far as we can in this Nedbank Cup.”

The Naturena-based side head into the game on the back of morale-boosting 1-0 win against Magesi FC in midweek. With the league out of reach, the Nedbank Cup is Chiefs’ only realistic chance of winning silverware this season.

“Mentally, our players have to understand that it’s a new game and it’s a cup game. We know that the team that we’re facing has experience in those kinds of games – cups and knockout games,” Nabi added.

“As Kaizer Chiefs, we know that this is a great opportunity to go even further. We know that on the other hand, they’re going to play on the fact that they’ve already lost twice and they will not want to do it for a third time.”

ALSO READ: Pirates’ Riveiro wary of ‘difficult’ SuperSport ahead of Cup tie

Stellenbosch got rid of Kruger United and fellow topflight side Polokwane City in the previous two rounds in order to reach the last eight. On the other hand, Chiefs brushed aside amateur side Free Agents in the last 32 round before sending Chippa United packing to set up a date with Stellies.