[ad_1]
Kaizer Chiefs’ promising first 1-0 league win of the 2020-21 season against Chippa United on Tuesday night was “a step forward,” said coach Gavin Hunt as he put together the pieces of a puzzle to try to formulate a successful combination in Amakhosi.
The result at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and a sometimes unbridled performance by the Chiefs, hitting the wood three times in the first half, shaving it and forcing a series of saves from Chippa goalkeeper Veli Mothwa in the second, was timely.
The Chiefs will face the Orlando Pirates in Saturday’s Soweto derby in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final, and any confidence boost will be welcome.
Hunt said he didn’t think the spirited performance, as he lined up something of a fringe lineup after Saturday’s poor 3-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns, would necessarily affect how the Chiefs enter the coach’s first derby.
“I thought there were certainly flashes [on Tuesday night]. I thought our form was much better. But each game will give you a different problem, ”Hunt said.
“The only thing, obviously, was that we created so many opportunities but we didn’t score. We hit the post, I don’t know how many times in the first half, which was a bit frustrating because you could see a bit of tension at the end.
But that is natural. When you lose like we did on the weekend, you get a little bit of that. So we will step forward and try to get from here.
“I don’t think the weekend will affect us at all. But obviously it gives me a better understanding of some of the players.
“Some eyebrows were raised [at Hunt’s selections]. But I knew deep down what I thought was the right thing to do. “
After being remarkably denied by the post and Mothwa so many times, it was finally Chippa’s left-back Gregory Damons who converted the ball into his own goal in the 78th minute.
Hunt said much of what he had planned came to fruition, and that playing at night also helped.
“I want my team to play with a much more urgent style. I want more energy. The distances must be equal. We haven’t been very good at it [before Tuesday],” he said.
“If there was one thing [to stand up] For the players, we play two day games at 30 degrees C temperature, where it is very difficult to play that kind of style. But when we played a game like tonight, we were so much better.
“… We are coming to summer, so the more night games the better.”
The highlight for Hunt would have been the continued restored energy of forwards Leonardo Castro and Khama Billiat, and the continued emergence of 20-year-old midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, who was awarded Man of the Match.
Others were good ball play and game control by Kearyn Baccus, Njabulo Blom and Lebogang Manyama in midfield, and defended from Siyabonga Ngezana and Daniel Cardoso in the rear.
– TimesLIVE
Source: ARENA Holdings.
[ad_2]
