Vilakazi tears into Chiefs’ ‘disjointed’ attack after CAF heartbreak

The continental dream is over for Kaizer Chiefs, and former Mamelodi Sundowns star Sibusiso Vilakazi believes the ‘Glamour Boys’ have a massive identity crisis to solve if they want to salvage their season.

Amakhosi’s CAF Confederation Cup journey came to a grinding halt in Ismailia on Saturday night, following a 2-1 defeat to Egyptian giants Zamalek SC. The result leaves Chiefs third in Group D, dumped out of Africa and left to ponder what might have been.

However, Vilakazi  insists the exit wasn’t just about the scoreline—it was about a fundamental “sickness” in how the team attacks.

The Lilepo Dependency At Chiefs

Speaking on SuperSport TV, Vilakazi pulled no punches, suggesting that Nasreddine Nabi’s side has become dangerously one-dimensional. The former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder noted that while Glody Lilepo is carrying the scoring burden, the rest of the star-studded frontline has gone missing.

“The goals are only coming from a certain individual, like Glody Lilepo, who is in form right now,” Vilakazi remarked. “You find yourself asking if Etiosa Ighodaro is not match-fit… or if Flavio Silva is not firing. Khanyisa Mayo and Pule Mmodi are not performing well right now.”

Vilakazi described the current state of the Chiefs’ attack as being “in between”—neither clinical nor completely broken, but lacking the collective rhythm required of a title contender.

One of the most tactical critiques levelled by Vilakazi involved the use of Gaston Sirino. The veteran playmaker was often seen dropping too deep to fetch the ball, leaving the strikers isolated and the final third toothless.

“Regarding the substitution of Gaston Sirino, I felt he played more on the same line as Lebohang Maboe and Siphesihle Ndlovu. It did not impact the last third where he could be really creative,” Vilakazi explained.

“Once you’re fetching the balls from the other side, it is too far to get yourself in there to support Silva, who was very isolated.”

Focus Shifts to Betway Premiership

While the exit from both CAF and the Nedbank Cup is a bitter pill for the Amakhosi faithful to swallow, there is a silver lining: a clear schedule. With no more travel to the north of Africa, Chiefs can pour all their resources into the Betway Premiership title race.

Vilakazi noted that while set-piece routines and wide-play chemistry have shown “flashes” of improvement, the “smoothness” of the combination play is non-existent.

Amakhosi return to domestic action needing to prove that they are more than just a one-man show. If Nabi cannot get Mayo, Silva, and Shabalala to sing from the same hymn sheet as Lilepo, the “heartbreak” of Ismailia might just be the start of a very long winter at Naturena.