Kaizer Chiefs head coach Cedric Kaze has heaped praise on Nigerian striker Etinosa Ighodaro and his Congolese teammate Glody Lilepo after both played pivotal roles in helping the Amakhosi secure a 3–1 victory over AS Simba and advance to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, Bold Sports reports.
Following a goalless first leg, Chiefs knew that only a win at home would guarantee progression, while the visitors were banking on a scoring draw to go through. But Ighodaro and his teammates had other ideas.
Ighodaro opened the scoring as early as the third minute, pouncing on a rebound from Lilepo’s effort to give Chiefs an ideal start. Zitha Kwinika doubled the lead in the 14th minute, before Lilepo added a third in the 26th minute to put the game beyond reach. Simba managed a consolation goal in the 80th minute.
After the game, Kaze lauded the duo’s impact, highlighting how their combination gave the team new attacking dimensions.
“We wanted to get the right combination up front – players who can make that extra pass, deliver from set pieces, and shoot effectively,” Kaze said.
“Having a striker like Ighodaro, who is physical and strong in the air, really helps us. And with Lilepo’s pace, we have different attacking options that make us more unpredictable.”
The victory sees Kaizer Chiefs return to the group phase of a CAF competition for the first time since their impressive Champions League run in 2021.
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