Steve sticking around

Steve Komphela stuck to his defiant stance about his tenure at Kaizer Chiefs after Saturday's defeat in Port Elizabeth.

Yesterday he insisted that he was still determined to fight on as coach even while speculation about his future intensifies following the latest defeat, this one by Chippa United.

"I have never given up in my life," answered the 49-year-old Chiefs coach when asked if he believed he was still the man to lead the club after an eighth successive match without a victory.

"I have to stay calm and take the punches - that is a job of the coach. Who else must be punched? I must stand and be strong. I will only waver the minute I feel the pressure that should be on me is now getting to my players," he said after the 3-1 defeat at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Komphela said Chiefs had defended badly and gave too much space behind their left back.

"It was always going to be a tough ask because Chippa play good football. We had a good first half and we had a chance to make it 2-0. It is no matter how good you play but if you don't defend it can prove costly. It is not a good feeling at the moment but we can't be thinking about losing. We have to deal with the situation moving forward."

The Chiefs coach said he did not want to be seen to be making excuses, even though he pointed out a lengthy injury list at the club with 11 players sidelined. That will be increased in their next match against Bloemfontein Celtic on December 14 with skipper Willard Katsande suspended after picking up a fourth caution of the season.

"Katsande out must be seen as an opportunity for someone else to take up the position and show what they can do," Komphela added.Mamelodi Sundowns' vaunted attack made a spectacular return to action in Saturday's 4-1 victory against Free State Stars at Loftus Versfeld - just in time for the team's departure for Japan.

Perhaps the only disappointing aspect about Downs' Premier Soccer League send-off before they leave today for the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan was that an inexperienced Stars rolled over too easily in the second half.

Afterwards, Stars coach Giovanni Solinas admitted his resource-challenged team, which lost several good players at the end of last season, needed bolstering to be competitive in the PSL.

A well-organised, fighting Stars held Sundowns to 1-1 by the break and the Brazilians had to step up the tempo and combinations to overwhelm Ea Lla Koto in the second half.

"This game was a little bit difficult for both teams. It was too hot, 32 degrees Celsius, and on a big pitch," said Downs coach Pitso Mosimane.

"But we played a very organised team. We can see the coach is very good. They didn't give us opportunities to go in easily. We had to hustle with a lot of combination play."

Nevertheless, the success of the vaunted combination up front is just what Sundowns will need against international superstars - including those of Real Madrid - if they really want to make an impact as South Africa's first club to compete at a Club World Cup.

- Marc Strydom, TMG Digital/TMG Sport