‘We Fought Each Other': Maart Lifts Lid on Chiefs Dressing Room Chaos Before Cup Win

• Kaizer Chiefs captain, Yusuf Maart, reveals that there was heated conflict among the players during halftime of the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates
• Maart discloses that head coach Nasreddine Nabi stepped in to calm the situation and refocus the team, helping them pull together for the second half
• The emotional clash in the dressing room was followed by a victory over Pirates, with Maart scoring the decisive goal, ending Chiefs' decade-long trophy drought

Kaizer Chiefs skipper Yusuf Maart has revealed explosive details from inside the dressing room during their Nedbank Cup final clash against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.

Maart disclosed that tempers flared at half-time, forcing head coach Nasreddine Nabi to step in and calm the situation.

Chiefs players clash at half-time

According to Maart, frustrations boiled over as players expressed dissatisfaction with their first-half performance, despite going into the break level after opening the scoring and then conceding to Evidence Makgopa’s equaliser.

Maart told the media,

"Ja, for us as players, we fought each other in the dressing room; we were saying we can't continue like this. The coach would come and calm everything down and put our minds together for the game, and that is what worked for us."

The midfielder credited Nabi for steering the squad back on track with composed leadership.

"He calmed us down and said, 'Relax, we are not here to fight each other; we are here to correct things,"

Maart’s leadership silences critics

Maart, who has faced scrutiny over his captaincy this season, silenced doubters by netting the winning goal that sealed Chiefs' first major trophy in nearly a decade. The emotional victory over Pirates not only ended their silverware drought but also provided sweet revenge after previous Soweto Derby heartbreaks.

The goal and result reaffirmed the club’s faith in Maart, who came through the Pirates youth ranks but has grown into a key figure at Naturena.

New hope for Kaizer Chiefs

With the cup triumph behind them, Amakhosi can now turn their attention to the final two Betway Premiership fixtures. They travel to Sekhukhune United on 17 May before wrapping up the season against Polokwane City on 24 May.

Securing maximum points in both matches would boost their chances of finishing in the top eight, a minimum target after an inconsistent league campaign.

The bigger picture for Amakhosi

For head coach Nabi, the victory serves as vindication of his influence, not only tactically but also in his man-management during tense moments. For Maart, the cup final was a turning point, both as a leader and a player capable of delivering under immense pressure.

Predicted Orlando Pirates XI vs Golden Arrows

Briefly News previously reported that Kaizer Chiefs captain Yusuf Maart revealed intense tensions in the dressing room during the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates.

Coach Nasreddine Nabi stepped in to calm the team, which helped refocus their efforts and secure a victory, with Maart scoring the decisive goal to end Chiefs' decade-long trophy drought.

Source: Briefly News