'We have suffered mentally,' says Chiefs coach Steve Komphela

02 November 2015 - 12:20 By Tshepang Mailwane

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela is concerned that his players have not come to the party in the big matches this season. Amakhosi were flat in the 1-0 defeat to Ajax Cape Town in the MTN8 final in September and were nowhere near inspiring in a 3-1 loss to rivals Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.Chiefs were outclassed by a rampant Pirates side‚ struggling to deal with the visitors who could have actually scored more were it not for the saves Itumeleng Khune pulled off in the second period.Players such as George Lebese‚ Siphiwe Tshabalala‚ Reneilwe Letsholonyane and defender Eric Mathoho‚ who scored the one goal for Amakhosi but was later skinned alive by Bucs striker Kermit Erasmus for the third goal‚ just did not come to the party in Chiefs’ first league defeat of the season.Komphela’s first competitive Soweto derby was a nightmare.“I wish one had a measure for that‚ but clearly based on the fact that we lost both the big games‚ then it makes you think and say‚ ‘listen‚ we have to concentrate more’.“Apart from the result itself you should also look at the performance. Did they perform? Not really. And in which matches are those‚ as you say?“It’s both the big ones‚ so we need to go back and start working on it‚” the former Bafana Bafana captain said.Chiefs struggled to string together passes in midfield‚ giving away the ball far too many times.Their strikers‚ Camaldine Abraw and Edward Manqele‚ were not a threat‚ while fullbacks Siboniso Gaxa and Tsepo Masilela did not get forward as much as they usually do because of the threat posed by Bucs wingers Mpho Makola and Thabo Rakhale.“We played into their hands by losing too much possession.“Every time we lost possession they were just on a for a counterattack.“We have suffered mentally‚ but there is always a next time to rectify our mistakes‚” Komphela said.“Yes‚ it’s our first defeat‚ but it’s worse when you lose against Orlando Pirates because you know what it means.“We did not exert ourselves. I strongly believe that we were more in an idle mode. We have to go back and respond.”Amakhosi‚ in sixth place‚ face Golden Arrows in the Absa Premiership at FNB Stadium on Tuesday...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.