Nedbank Cup victory will change everything – Chiefs keeper

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma says being in the Nedbank Cup final is a sign that not all is doom and gloom at Naturena, though he concedes their position in the league is a concern.

Consistency has been eluding Chiefs in the league, where they’ve never won three games on the trot until now, leaving their chances of finishing in the top eight hanging by a thread as they’ve already lost 10 games.

Amakhosi, who will face Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on May 12, host Marumo Gallants in the league at FNB Stadium on Saturday at 3pm. They will also face Pirates in the league the following Saturday at the same venue, before meeting them in the Ke Yona decider.

“If you look back, it’s been four years since we went to our last final, the Champions League [where they lost to Pitso Mosimane-coached Al Ahly], and domestically our last final was back in 2019 [where they were stunned by TS Galaxy, who were a second-tier side at the time], so we’re in a final now,” Bvuma said on Thursday at a press briefing at Naturena.

“As much as we’re not happy with our log position [they’re eighth on the Betway Premiership table], but there are a lot of positives that we can take out of this season ... we’re in the final of the Nedbank Cup. We said at the start of the season that we wanted to end the trophy drought, and now we stand a big chance of changing everything.”

Bvuma started the season as Chiefs’ third-choice keeper behind Fiacre Ntwari and Brandon Petersen, before fighting his way up the pecking order after the duo proved unreliable.

The 29-year-old has since managed six league clean sheets from 17 outings, but conceded 17 goals. Even so, Bvuma says his rather solid performances count for nothing if the team continues to struggle.

“For me, the most important thing is to see the team doing well. If the team isn’t doing well, my clean sheets count for nothing, and my performances won’t mean anything.”

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