Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has reflected on the performance of young Nkosana Mbuthu following their 4-0 defeat to Young Africans in the Toyota Cup.
The Soweto giants faced the Tanzanian champions in the city of Roses on Sunday shortly after returning from a pre-season tour in Turkey.
The match saw several youngsters, including Mduduzi Shabalala, Samkelo Zwane, and Mfundo Vilakazi, alongside some experienced players, take the field.
Despite the heavy loss, Nabi chose to focus on the positives, especially highlighting the young talents’ potential.
“Firstly, we’d like to congratulate Young Africans for an excellent performance today,” Nabi stated in the post-match interview.
“We have a young team that still lacks experience. They’re learning, and we’re learning from their mistakes as we build a strong team,” he added.
One standout player was Nkosana Mbuthu, 19, who played the full match in the left-back position and is the son of former Chiefs midfielder Patrick ‘Ace’ Mbuthu.
Despite making a costly error, Nabi showed considerable confidence in the young player.
“Mbuthu is a young player with a lot of potential. I’m sure he will be a big player in the future. Currently, I don’t have a left-back, and he is filling that role. It’s normal to lose in a friendly game like this,” Nabi explained.
Nabi emphasized the importance of nurturing young talents. “If you don’t face losses now, it’s not an outstanding game to lose. I’m assisting him, not pushing him out because I want to give him confidence. I’m happy with his performance,” he said.
“If I take him out, I kill his confidence directly. My responsibility is to protect him, help him progress, and improve in the future.”
Looking ahead, Chiefs were set to start their Betway Premiership campaign against Marumo Gallants FC at Toyota Stadium on 14 September at 17h30.
With the focus on building a strong team, the experience gained from such pre-season matches is seen as invaluable for the young squad’s development.