Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando da Cruz has expressed his disappointment after Amakhosi were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup following their encounter with Zambian side Red Arrows.

Da Cruz was particularly frustrated by his team’s inability to convert their scoring opportunities during the second leg of the preliminary-round tie on Friday night.

The Soweto giants entered the match needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Zambia. Despite playing at home and creating several chances, Chiefs failed to score enough goals to secure qualification for the next round.

Speaking after the match, Da Cruz maintained that his team had controlled much of the contest and created numerous opportunities to win.

“We dominated all the game, we created a lot of chances,” Da Cruz said.

The coach admitted that the result was difficult to accept because he believed his players had done enough in open play to secure victory.

“We lost the game on penalties, but we actually lost it before because we created a lot of chances,” he added.

Da Cruz was especially critical of the team’s finishing, arguing that the number of opportunities created should have resulted in a more convincing scoreline.

“We only scored one goal, normally we must win this game 3-0 or 4-0,” he said.

His comments highlighted the importance of clinical finishing in knockout competitions, where missed chances can have a decisive impact on a team’s progress.

For Chiefs, the elimination represents a setback after they had hoped to use home advantage to overturn the first-leg result and keep their continental campaign alive.

Although the team created opportunities, its inability to convert them into goals ultimately contributed to the disappointing outcome.

Da Cruz’s assessment also points to the need for improvement in front of goal as Amakhosi turn their attention to their domestic commitments.

The result will disappoint Chiefs supporters, who had hoped the team would respond positively to the defeat in Zambia and secure a place in the next round.

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