Ben Youssef: We Came for Three Points, Not to Entertain

JOHANNESBURG – Kaizer Chiefs secured their first win of the CAF Confederation Cup group stage on Sunday afternoon, grinding out a hard-fought victory over Zambian side Zesco United at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

It was not a performance that will live long in the memory for its flair, but for Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef, the result mattered far more than the spectacle.

Speaking after the match, Ben Youssef admitted the encounter was far from pretty, attributing much of that to the condition of the pitch and the physical nature of the contest.

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“We expected a tough game,” he said. “To be honest, it was not a great game to watch, but it was a very physical one. Our target was clear. We came for three points. We didn’t come to play great football or to enjoy ourselves, we came to win.”

The Tunisian-born coach felt Chiefs deserved the victory, despite being forced to abandon their usual style of play.

“The pitch made it very difficult for us,” he explained. “Zesco played a lot of long balls, and that is their philosophy. We prefer to build with short passes and progress step by step. Unfortunately, on this pitch, it was difficult to play our football.”

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Ben Youssef acknowledged that the conditions neutralised Chiefs’ technical strengths and pushed them into a more direct, physical battle.

“We are not a physical team, we are a technical team,” he said. “That made it more difficult for us. The game was mostly characterized by long balls and free kicks, and we had to adapt accordingly. We ended up playing a different kind of football.”

Despite the challenges, Ben Youssef praised his players for their discipline and fighting spirit.

“I want to congratulate the players,” he added. “We said before the game that we came here to win, not just to play. They fought for it, they showed character, and they deserved the three points.”

The two sides will meet again on Sunday when Chiefs host Zesco United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. With momentum now on their side, Amakhosi will be targeting another win as they push to strengthen their chances of progressing to the knockout stages of the competition.