The day of reckoning has arrived for Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs as they face Egyptian powerhouses Zamalek SC in their final group-stage clash of this season’s TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup in Ismailia, Egypt.

The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in December in Polokwane, and another stalemate tonight would be enough to secure Chiefs’ progression to the knockout phase.

Amakhosi currently lead Group D with 10 points, followed by Zamalek on eight. Al Masry sit third with seven points, while ZESCO United complete the group with three point.

In the other fixture of the group, Al Masry host ZESCO in Alexandria. Both encounters will kick-off at the same same.

Chiefs and Zamalek had contrasting results in their matches last weekend, with Amakhosi beating Al Masry 2-1 and Zamalek going 1-0 down to ZESCO in Zambia.

Chiefs have made three changes to the side that overcame Al Masry last Sunday in Polokwane. Paseka Mako comes in for the suspended Aden McCarthy, Thabiso Monyane replaces Dillan Solomons at right-back, and George Matlou returns from injury to take the place of Mduduzi Shabalala in today’s starting team.

Coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze are expected to stick with a traditional 4-4-2 formation.

Starting in goal is Brandon Petersen

His back four will have Mako at left-back, Zitha Kwinika and Given Msimango as centre-backs and Monyane at right-back.

Matlou will take charge of the holding role in the middle of the park; Pule Mmodi will be to his right, with Siphesihle Ndlovu on the left and Lebohang Maboe completes the quartet as the attacking midfielder.

Searching for goals up front will be Glody Lilepo and Flavio da Silva.

The match officials are from Sudan in the form of referee Mahmood Ali Mahmood Ismai, assisted by Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim and Omer Hamid Mohamed Ahmed. the fourth official is Amro Ismail Alsayed Mohammed

Kick-off for this decisive CAF Confederation Cup Group D clash between the Glamour Boys and Zamalek will be 18:00 at the Suez Canal Authority stadium in Ismaillia.

The match will be broadcast live on SABC 2 and SuperSport’s channel 209 on DStv and most SABC radio stations. There will be regular updates on the Club’s X (formerly known as Twitter) account, @kaizerchiefs.

Chiefs XI:  Petersen © (1), Mako (29), Monyane (2), Kwinika (4), Msimango (25), Matlou (22), Ndlovu (8), Maboe (6), Mmodi (13), Lilepo (19), Da Silva (32)

Subs: Bvuma (16); Solomons (18), Shinga (33), Mabaso (34), Vilakazi (28), Shabalala (7), Sirino (10), Velebayi (17), Mayo (3)

Coaches: Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze

Zamalek XI: Mohamed Soliman (37); Mohmed Kotb (24), Dabbagh (27), Abdelmegeed Abdelsalam (5), Ahmed Elsayed (9), Abdelhamid (11), Mohamed Shehata Mohmoud (17), Hamouda Attia © (28), Kamal (31), Alvina Bezerra (33), Mostafa (34)

Subs: Mahmoud Badawy (35); Hafez (14), Abdalla Mohamed (19), Abdelmoneim (26), Jaziri (30), Concalves Sacalumbo (32), Badawy (35), Mohamed Ahmed (39), Ahmed Ibrahim (40)

Coach: Moatamed Gamal Abdelziz Mahmoud Shalaby