Chiefs Boss Blames Ref Mistake And Squandered Chances In Pirates Loss
Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz believes his side should have put the Soweto Derby beyond Orlando Pirates’ reach before half-time following their disappointing defeat on Saturday.
Amakhosi suffered a 2-1 defeat to their arch-rivals in a sold-out Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium, recording their first league loss of the season in the Betway Premiership.
Chiefs remain fifth in the league standings with 14 points after struggling to secure victories in recent weeks. Their last league win came on 6 September against Siwelele, and they have since been unable to return to winning ways.
The Glamour Boys fell behind before the 30-minute mark but responded through Pule Mmodi, who restored parity shortly after the half-hour mark. However, Tshepang Moremi struck in the second half to secure all three points for Pirates, following Yanela Mbuthuma’s first-half opener.
Reflecting on the defeat, Da Cruz felt his side had done enough in the first half to establish a comfortable lead. He also questioned the decision to allow Pirates’ opening goal to stand, insisting that Mbuthuma was in an offside position.
“The analysis is simple. In the first half, we should have killed the game,” he said on SuperSport TV.
“The match should have been over by half-time. On top of that, we conceded a goal that was offside. It was reviewed on video, so it was a huge refereeing mistake.
“By half-time, we should have been leading 2-0 or 3-0. In the second half, we were slightly below our level, but in the final 20 minutes, despite the fatigue, they did not create any chances.
“We gave them opportunities through transitions and allowed them to try to extend the scoreline, but they did not create anything themselves. It was our lack of experience and youth that led us to give away those transitions.”
Despite the disappointment of losing to their arch-rivals, the French tactician expressed satisfaction with his players’ overall performance, particularly given the young nature of his squad and the absence of five players.
Da Cruz praised his charges for the quality they displayed against Pirates, insisting that they deserved credit for their efforts despite experiencing fatigue towards the closing stages of the encounter.
“I am pleased with what the players did because this is a young team,” he added.
“On top of that, we were missing five players. To play against Pirates the way we did, with the quality we showed despite having five players unavailable, I take my hat off to the players.
“They put in a great performance, even though there was a lot of fatigue in the final 20 minutes.”
Following their Soweto Derby disappointment, Chiefs will now turn their attention to the Carling Knockout Cup, where they are scheduled to face Siwelele in a quarter-final encounter.
Amakhosi will be eager to use the cup competition as an opportunity to return to winning ways and restore confidence after a difficult spell in the league.
