Chiefs Reignite Kasi Spirit as Shabalala and Cross Steal the Spotlight. Image- Gallo Images.
(The Post News)- Bradley Cross and Mduduzi Shabalala lit up Dobsonville Stadium with talent and flair as Kaizer Chiefs easily defeated AS Simba in their CAF Confederation Cup match.
Amakhosi led 3-0 both on the day and overall, and as Simba battled to reclaim possession, the teenage pair showed off their confidence and inventiveness to the crowd. Before passing to Cross, Shabalala, who is still rising in prominence for both the Chiefs and Bafana Bafana, established the tone with fluid stepovers.
The Soweto crowd cheered even louder when Cross, 24, flicked the ball onto his head. An already easy victory was transformed into an enjoyable display of South African football’s creativity and rhythm by the spectators’ thunderous applause.
Such flair may be criticized in Europe, but it is praised in Mzansi. Local supporters go to games to witness players express themselves, preserving the spirit of idiski swaggering, soulful football.
Before losing that flexibility under European coaching systems, legends like Scara Ngobese and Jabu Mahlangu once wowed audiences with their imaginative play. Stadiums were transformed into stages of joy and talent even earlier by legends like Patrick “Ace” Ntsoelengoe and Nelson “Teenage” Dladla.
As showmen have grown less common, stadium attendance has decreased, and that spark has diminished in recent years. However, players like Shabalala and Cross remind supporters of why they fell in love with South African football by bringing back that Kasi flavor playing with flair and pride.
It’s the ideal time to revitalize that identity football characterized by inventiveness, audacity, and distinctive South African flair as Bafana Bafana get ready to return to the international scene in 2026.
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