Ben Youssef Hails Kaizer Chiefs Stars After Holding Sundowns, Speaks on Mduduzi Shabalala’s Injury
Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef was satisfied with a hard-earned result away to the reigning champions, but his optimism was dampened by worry over an injury to Mduduzi Shabalala.
Chiefs achieved something rare this season by taking a point off Mamelodi Sundowns on their home ground, and Ben Youssef was quick to applaud his side’s response to the challenge.
“It was a proper contest tonight, a huge fight for us,” he said on SuperSport TV.
“There was plenty of talk before the match, but we showed we were ready for it. We approach every fixture like a final.”
That mindset has been a recurring theme from Ben Youssef, as Chiefs continue to concentrate on their own objectives rather than external pressure from the title race.
The plan was executed well on the pitch, with Flavio Da Silva putting Chiefs ahead in the first half with a composed finish. Sundowns responded after the break through Brayan Leon, but Chiefs remained disciplined to secure a valuable draw that adds pressure on the champions’ title ambitions.
However, the positive result was overshadowed by injury concerns after Jayden Adams’ heavy tackle forced Shabalala off the field. Ben Youssef later confirmed the midfielder faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
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“The injury is serious, and unfortunately we need to protect players more,” he said. “He will be out for one or two months.”
Losing Shabalala, one of the club’s most promising young players, is a significant setback as the season approaches its final stretch and CAF qualification remains within reach.
Even so, Ben Youssef praised the overall team performance, highlighting several individuals while stressing collective effort.
“I prefer to talk about the team as a whole—Ndlovu, Maboe, Monyane, Msimango, Aden—they all showed strong character today,” he said. “Even Shabalala, before going off, gave everything.”
Lebohang Maboe also stood out on his return to Loftus Versfeld after leaving Sundowns, starting in midfield and delivering a solid display. Ben Youssef further explained the tactical decision to withdraw Siphesihle Ndlovu late in the match.
“Ndlovu was taken off because he was close to a second yellow card, and we didn’t want to take that risk,” he said. “We brought on Ox [Mthethwa] to stabilise things. Honestly, all the players deserve recognition—Monyane, Ndlovu, Lilepo, they all performed well.”
With three matches remaining against Sekhukhune, AmaZulu, and Chippa United, Ben Youssef insisted the team still has work to do.
“There are still three games left, and we must keep fighting for points,” he said. “We’ve made progress in terms of results and overall points, and now we need to finish strongly.”
Ben Youssef, alongside Cedric Kaze, took over coaching duties from Nasreddine Nabi mid-season, with the aim of either lifting silverware or securing a CAF Champions League qualification spot.
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Source: Briefly News
