Kaizer Chiefs End Dutch Pre-Season Tour with Narrow Defeat to FC Twente

Kaizer Chiefs wrapped up their European pre-season tour with a spirited but narrow 2-1 defeat to Dutch Eredivisie side FC Twente on Wednesday evening. The match, played under competitive conditions, provided another valuable test for the Amakhosi as they prepare for the 2025/26 DStv Premiership season.

Following his match-winning goal against PEC Zwolle, promising youngster Naledi Hlongwane was rewarded with a starting berth. He was joined by Mfundo Vilakazi, Zitha Kwinika, and Dillon Solomons, who all returned to the line-up for this final clash in the Netherlands.

The early stages saw Chiefs on the back foot, with Twente piling on the pressure. Bas Kuipers thought he had given the hosts an early lead after turning home from close range, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The Dutch outfit continued to trouble the South African side, with Kuipers particularly effective in breaking through Chiefs’ defensive lines.

Brandon Petersen stood tall midway through the first half, pulling off an excellent save to deny a looping header from a corner. However, Chiefs’ resistance was finally broken just three minutes before the break when Daan Rots connected with a precise cross and nodded in from close range to give Twente a deserved lead.

Coach Molefi Ntseki made multiple changes at halftime, bringing on Bruce Bvuma, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Pule Mmodi, Thabiso Monyane, Tashreeq Morris, and Godly Lilepo in an effort to shift the momentum.

Twente looked to have doubled their lead through Damian Van Bruggen after a rebound, but the flag went up again for offside. The Dutch continued to create chances, with Sayfallah Ltaief narrowly missing the target with a curling shot early in the second half.

Despite being on the back foot for most of the match, Chiefs found a way back into the game. Pule Mmodi was brought down in the box, and Inacio Miguel confidently slotted home the resulting penalty to draw the visitors level with just under 20 minutes to play.

However, parity was short-lived. With less than five minutes remaining, Ltaief managed to ghost in at the far post to tap home a low cross, sealing the win for Twente and handing Chiefs a narrow defeat in their final fixture of the tour.

While the result was not in their favour, the outing offered Kaizer Chiefs a critical test against high-level European opposition as they look to fine-tune their squad and tactics ahead of the new campaign.

Kaizer Chiefs Starting XI:
Petersen, Kwinika, Frosler, Miguel, Solomons, Mabaso, Cele, Chislett, Sirino, Vilakazi, Hlongwane.