The club have been forced to leave behind Wandile Duba, Lilepo Glody, Khanyisa Mayo and Gaston Sirino, who have all returned to training after various injuries but are not ready to play.
Chiefs are taking 22 players to Egypt for Sunday’s match in Suez, leaving the rest of their 34-man squad at home.
There is a return for the 28-year-old defender Given Msimango, who has not played since last season’s Nedbank Cup semi-final triumph over Mamelodi Sundowns. But fellow centre back Rushwin Dortley is not yet ready after surgery.
Two of Chiefs’ pre-season signings, Ethan Chislett and Nkanyiso Shinga, continue to wait for their first outing for AmaKhosi.
Chiefs also head to Egypt with a poor away record in the Confederation Cup that does not instil confidence. They have won only one of their previous six away fixtures in the competition, losing four and drawing one.
All of those matches have been since 2014. That single victory was a 3-0 success at Madagascar’s Elgeco Plus, but otherwise it has been a tale of woe. They have suffered defeats at ASEC Mimosas (0-1), most shockingly at Zanzibar minnows Zimamoto (1-2), ZESCO United (1-3) and Kabuscorp (0-1), which came this season.
They did manage a 0-0 draw at Simba of DR Congo in the last round, a game they should have won but for Ashley du Preez’s horror miss.
Coupled with Chiefs’ travel woes, Al Masry have an incredible home record. In 30 Confederation Cup ties since 2017, they have won 24 and drawn four, suffering just two home defeats.
Those came against current CAF Champions League holders Pyramids FC (2019) and a surprise 2-0 loss to Burkina Faso side Salitas a year earlier. No team has conquered their home base in the past six years in the competition.
In all matches, home and away, they have conceded a single goal in their last five, though three of those ended 0-0, including their last game away at giants Al Ahly before the international break.
It has largely been win or bust for Chiefs in the Confederation Cup over the years. Their previous 12 matches have produced five victories and six defeats, with just a single draw, the clash at Simba in the last round.
Their 42% win ratio in the competition puts them around ‘mid-table’ when it comes to South African clubs who have played 10 fixtures or more.
Orlando Pirates (57%), Marumo Gallants (50%), Stellenbosch FC (50%) and Sundowns (44%) are ahead of them. How they would love to improve on that record this weekend.
Kaizer Chiefs squad to face Al Masry:
Goalkeepers: Bruce Bvuma, Brandon Petersen
Defenders: Bradley Cross, Zitha Kwinika, Paseko Mako, Inacio Miguel, Thabiso Monyane, Given Msimango, Dillon Solomons
Midfielders: Thabo Cele, Lebogang Maboe, George Matlou, Pule Mmodi, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Mduduzi Shabalala, Mfundo Vilakazi, Asanele Velabayi
Strikers: Flavio da Silva, Ashley du Preez, Etoisa Ighodaro.