Kaizer Chiefs are within touching distance of the last eight of the CAF Confederation Cup and can reach their third quarter-final of a CAF competition with a draw in their final game in Group D away to Zamalek in Egypt on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 18:00 (SA time).
A draw or a win will see Kaizer Chiefs through to the quarter-finals as group winners.
Return to Egypt
Kaizer Chiefs return to Egypt for the second time in the current campaign having lost 2-1 in Suez to Al Masry in their first group game 2-1 in November.
This is the fourth meeting between Zamalek and Kaizer Chiefs, their first meetings coming back in 1993, in the second round of the African Cup of Champions Clubs now known as the CAF Champions League.
Across their previous three meetings each team has one win with one game ending in a draw.
In their 1993 meeting, Zamalek prevailed on away goals after the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate.
In the current competition they drew 1-1 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on matchday 2.
Overall, Kaizer Chiefs are meeting Egyptian opponents for a 10th time. They have two wins, two draws and five losses from their nine previous meetings.
Kaizer Chiefs are yet to win in Egypt, having lost three games and drawn one match in four previous visits.
Amakhosi are playing at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia for the second time, and first since drawing 1-1 with Ismaily in the second-leg of the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup quarter-final.
Kaizer Chiefs lead Group D with 10 points followed by Zamalek on eight.
The Glamour Boys’ win against Al Masry last weekend saw them end a run of seven games without a win in continental competition against Egyptian opponents. It was their first since defeating Zamalek in 1993.
Zamalek have met South African teams 13 times across all CAF Competitions, with a record of five wins, two draws and six losses.
Zamalek have played six games at home against South African teams in CAF Competitions, winning three and losing three.
Zamalek
They were defeated 1-0 by ZESCO United last weekend on matchday 5, their first loss in the current group stages.
They have two wins from five games in Group D, at home against ZESCO on matchday 1, and away to Al Masry on matchday 4. They have drawn two games, away to Kaizer Chiefs and at home to Al Masry to go with the loss to ZESCO.
Their last game was on Wednesday, a 1-0 home win against Smouha in the Egyptian Premier League.
They are presently second in the Egyptian Premier League standings with 31 points, trailing league leaders Ceramica Cleopatra by four points having played a game less.
Current coach Moatamed Gamal took over in January and has been in charge for seven games – winning five, drawing one and losing one.
Zamalek’s only loss with Gamal in charge in his current spell was against ZESCO.
In 16 home games in all competitions this season, they have won eight games, dawn six and lost just twice.
Seifeddine Jaziri is their top scorer in the CAF Confederation Cup, with two goals in the group stages.
Only two players, Hossam Abdelmaguid and Mahmoud Hamdi El Wensh, have started all five of their games.
They have an 84% passing accuracy rate, ranking as the best in the group stages.
Juan Alvina is the Zamalek player with the most shots on target in their five games, with five.
Mohamed Shehata has created five chances the most of any Zamalek player.
Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs enter this game on the back of a 2-1 win over Al Masry at home on matchday 5.
Amakhosi have won their last three games in Group D, having failed to win their first two.
They then proceeded to win their next three group games, doing so in the group stages of an African competition for the first time. They last won four in succession in continental competition in 1993 when winning their first five games in the CAF Champions League that season.
Kaizer Chiefs have won five of their last six games In all competitions, losing one.
Kaizer Chiefs’ last five wins in all competitions have been by a single goal, four have been 1-0 wins.
Flavio Da Silva has converted penalties in Kaizer Chiefs’ last two games. He has scored six goals in all competitions this season.
Glody Lilepo has scored three goals in the competition so far. The last Kaizer Chiefs player to score more in a CAF campaign was Khama Billiat who netted five goals in the 2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup.
Kaizer Chiefs will be without the suspended Aden McCarthy, who has featured in three of the team’s five group games.
Kaizer Chiefs have scored six goals in five group games. Mfundo Vilakazi has created four chances, the most by a Amakhosi player.
Zitha Kwinika is the only outfield player who has played all 450 minutes of Kaizer Chiefs’ group stage campaign. Goalkeeper, Brandon Petersen, also completed all five matches to date.
