Youngster Vilakazi urges unity and resilience amid mounting expectations

KAIZER Chiefs youngster Mfundo Vilakazi knows the pressure is real.

Since being promoted from the club’s junior ranks to the senior team in 2024, the young attacker has had to learn fast.

Life in the Amakhosi first team has brought big lessons, tough moments, and the pressure of playing for one of Mzansi’s biggest clubs.

Vilakazi said the journey hadn’t always been smooth, but the players never stopped fighting.

“Since I’ve been promoted, things were not going well at some point, but that motivated us to keep on going. In football, things won’t always be happy, but as a team, we never gave up,” he said.

The Chiefs attacker said one of their biggest problems has been taking their chances.

He admitted the team has struggled to score goals consistently, but believes recent performances could be the start of something better.

“Coming into this season, we haven’t lost a PSL match. We have been playing draws, and the only problem we have is scoring goals. But in the previous match, we scored three goals, and that has opened the door for more goals,” Vilakazi said.

He said the forwards have been putting in extra work at training to sharpen their finishing and help Chiefs turn draws into wins.

“As forward players, we sacrifice our time after training by staying behind and practising finishing. If we score goals, we won’t be playing draws anymore; we will be winning games,” he said.

But for Vilakazi, the challenge is not only about what happens on the pitch.

He said mental strength and unity matter just as much, especially when players face pressure from supporters and outside voices.

The youngster said Chiefs players must stay focused and avoid being distracted by criticism.

“We always remind each other that there will always be pressure and that we shouldn’t listen to people outside. We should focus on the things we want to improve on and help each other as players.

“We shouldn’t compete against one another, but support each other. If I support him, he should do the same for me, because if we focus on what people say, we will lose focus,” Vilakazi said.

As Chiefs continue searching for sharper finishing, Vilakazi’s message is clear: the players must stay united, work harder and turn pressure into points.