Kaizer Chiefs' last hope for some redemption in a barren season comes on Sunday in the Ivory Coast as they try to resurrect a precarious position against Asec Mimosas in the CAF Champions League.

Reaching the group phase for the first time is Amakhosi's last hope to salvage something from a campaign in which they look destined to cede their league crown and have been unable to win any of the knockout trophies despite reaching two finals.

Having lost 1-0 to Asec in the first leg of the second round tie, the Chiefs cause is difficult and under-fire coach Steve Komphela departed with his side yesterday unwilling to make a bold prediction.

"At least we have seen them play and faced up against them and gauged ourselves against them," Komphela said ahead of Sunday's trip to Abidjan, where Chiefs take on Asec at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium (5.30pm South African time).

"The thing that concerns me most is a situation again where we dominate, create chances we don't take and then suffer an accident," said Komphela in reference to the soft goal conceded in the second half of last Saturday's first leg encounter at Soccer City to Adama Bakayoko.

"We want to go to Abidjan and get an early goal and put pressure on them. If we can get a second, then I think we'll have them struggling.

"We are going quite soon after our game against Cosmos but we knew about the programme. So we will just pick the best players and go there and see what we can do."

Chiefs have a poor record in Africa's top club competition, but they did win the now-defunct African Cup Winners' Cup 15 years ago.

In the Champions League, Chiefs have never got past the third round and into the group phase, which is in contrast to all their domestic success.

The South African clubs who have played in the group phase - since it was first introduced in 1997 - are Ajax Cape Town, Manning Rangers, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United.