With the focus on CAF’s Club competitions this weekend, Kaizer Chiefs are in Angola to face Kabuscorp SCP as they mark their return to continental competition with their participation in this season’s Confederation Cup.

Amakhosi arrived in Angola on Thursday, two days after facing Sekhukhune United in the Betway Premiership. The team received a big welcome from Kaizer Chiefs supporters in Angola, notably Glody Lilepo’s fans from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who reside in Luanda.

The team will want to emulate the run they had in 2021 and hopefully lift the trophy when they kick off their campaign this afternoon in Luanda.

The coaching team have kept the same 20-man match day squad they had on Wednesday, with three changes made to the starting XI.

Zitha Kwinika returns to the line-up replacing Reeve Frosler at the back. In the middle of the park, Thabo Cele will come in for Siphesihle Ndlovu, and Gaston Sirino will be replaced by Mduduzi Shabalala.

The team has changed to a 4-3-3 formation for this encounter.

Brandon Petersen will be in goal.

The back four will see Paseka Mako on the left, with Aden McCarthy and Inacio Miguel as central defenders and Kwinika on the right.

In midfield, Sibongiseni Mthethwa will have Shabalala and Cele in front of him.

The attacking trio will have Pule Mmodi on the left wing and Glody Lilepo on the right flank, with Flavio Da Silva, who has scored two goals in two games, leading the attack.

Today’s match officials are referee, Lamin N. Jammeh, assisted by Abdul Aziz Bollel Jawo and Essaha Sowe, as well as Abdallah L. Jammeh who is the fourth official. The quartet hails from Gambia.

Amakhosi will hoist the South African flag high in the first leg match of this season’s CAF Confederation Cup against Angolan side Kabuscorp, which starts at 16:00 (17:00 in SA) at the Stadio 11 de Novembro in the capital, Luanda. The match will be live on SABC 2, with live commentary on most SABC radio stations. There will be live updates on the Club’s X (formerly known as Twitter) account, @kaizerchiefs.

Chiefs XI: Petersen (1), Mako (29), Kwinika (4), Miguel © (84), McCarthy (35), Mthethwa (5), Cele (21), Shabalala (7), Mmodi (13), Lilepo (99), Da Silva (77),

Subs: Ntwari (30), Frosler (39), Cross (48), Ngcobo (12), Ndlovu (8), Sirino (10), Vilakazi (28), Du Preez (9), Duba (47)

Assistant Coach: Cedric Kaze 

Kabuscorp XI: Anselmo (22), (3), Beni Pape (24), Sandro (32), Ngoyi (10), Jorge (20), Abdal (19), Adi Boyo (5), Bayala (7), Mafuta (30), Henock © (16), Zamorano (2)

Subs: Rachoni (1); Lito (4), Nuno (48), Jo Vidal (15), Lisandro (14), Gueda (17), Paqueta (18), Nkunku (28), Julio (31)  

Coach: Beto Bianch