Mngqithi On Chiefs’ Loss: We Suffered
Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi has admitted that his team was overwhelmed by Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, particularly during the early stages of the match.
Mngqithi said he anticipated the heavy pressure from Chiefs, who were fueled by a massive crowd of nearly 60,000 fans.
Chiefs were finally rewarded for their relentless attack when debutant Flavio Da Silva scored the winning goal in the 69th minute.
“The game came out the way we anticipated. We knew the first 20 minutes we would suffer,” Mngqithi said after the match. “The boys suffered collectively. We were fortunate to come out of that without conceding a goal.”
Mngqithi explained that his team gained momentum after he made tactical changes around the 22-minute mark. “We finished the half on a very good note. We got a very big chance that could have yielded something for us, but unfortunately, we couldn’t bury it,” he added.
Mngqithi Laments Officiating Decisions
Mngqithi also expressed frustration with the officiating, claiming his side was denied a clear penalty just before halftime.
“We had a very dominant performance in the second half,” he continued. “We created what I think was a clear penalty, but in South Africa, things are different. If it was the other way around, things would have been different.”
The coach suggested that the lack of a call and the need to make two forced substitutions due to injuries to Keenan Phillips and Siyanda Ndlovu contributed to the loss.
“Unfortunately, we lost two key players and we had to reshuffle,” he said. “In a game where clear decisions should be taken and they are not, you suffer the consequences of not defending well.”
