Nabi On Duba’s Absence And Chiefs’ Soweto Derby Loss
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi acknowledged the impact of Wandile Duba’s absence in their 2-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Duba, who was suspended due to accumulating four yellow cards, missed the crucial match. This was the second time the Amakhosi’s Academy graduate missed the Soweto Derby this year, as he was injured in the first round.
“Duba is indeed a player who has been important to our team,” Nabi said when asked by Sportswire. “But those who played today [on Saturday] showed they are capable of doing the job.”
Nabi continued: “When you are missing a player like Duba, who is on good form, offensively, he would have given us something.”
Despite this, Nabi praised the players who filled in, highlighting their ability to perform under pressure.
Moving beyond the discussion on Duba, Nabi addressed the match itself. He attributed the loss to individual mistakes rather than tactical issues.
“We conceded goals on individual mistakes,” he said. “That’s what we work on in training, to prepare ourselves for games.”
Nabi observed that Chiefs started the match well, pressing high and being aggressive. However, after Pirates scored the equalizer, the team dropped back.
At halftime, Nabi instructed his players to maintain a higher position on the field.
“We told the players we need to stay higher up the field,” he explained. “In the first half, our midfielders were dropping deep instead of going higher.”
This adjustment aimed to revitalize Chiefs’ attack, but ultimately, the team couldn’t capitalize.
Duba’s suspension was for this game only and will be available in the Nedbank Cup final against Pirates next weekend at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Nabi’s comments suggest that Chiefs will look to regroup and build on the positives from their league performance as they prepare for the cup final.
The loss in the Soweto Derby was a setback for Chiefs, who are currently ninth in the Betway Premiership standings, out of the top eight.
With two league games remaining, the team will focus on finishing the season strongly and making a push for silverware in the Nedbank Cup.
