Chiefs in market for sharp shooter

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has not ruled out dipping into the transfer market for a more clinical finisher in the January window after his players spurned numerous opportunities in the Telkom Knockout defeat to Wits on Saturday.

Dumisani Zuma and Gustavo Paez were the main culprits, missing chance after chance in the 1-0 semifinals loss to the Clever Boys.

"Listen, strikers are strikers," said Komphela after a defeat that left him with only the Premiership and the Nedbank Cup titles to fight for this season. "We could have had the best striker on the day, but if it's not your day, it's not.

"Missing chances like these [by Zuma and Paez] happens. But if you ask me 'if there is an opportunity for us to get another striker', yes there is.

"With Zuma and Paez I thought we could at least have got an equaliser. "Zuma had one-on-one [chances] twice. Paez as well had his fair share.

"All these are excuses. But if you asked: 'Did we have an opportunity to equalise?' Yes, we did," he said.

Komphela was punished for starting the match with a lone striker - Bernard Parker - hoping to catch Wits on a counter. He also had Joseph Molangoane and Philani Zulu on the flanks but both found themselves deep in their own half most of the time in the first half.

What also did not help Chiefs was Komphela's decision to start with three central defenders - Eric Mathoho, Siyabonga Ngezana and Daniel Cardoso. Cardoso later withdrew for Paez at the start of the second half.

Wits were tactically superior in the first half, denying Chiefs space and movement. They got the winner through James Keene's header in the 28th minute.

The Wits goal came straight after Chiefs midfielder Wiseman Meyiwa was sent off for what looked like a soft landing on Daine Klate.

"I saw the incident, but I haven't had the opportunity to review it. Willard Katsande made the foul [on Klate] and Wiseman collapsed on top of Klate. I did not see exactly what happened there.

"Again one does not want to go to a territory where you start looking at the adjudicators of the game. They do their job and we just want to do ours as well," he said.

After this defeat, can Komphela help Chiefs save face by winning some silverware this season?

"The essence of a champion is not a fall but a rise. That's what we should be concerned about," said a philosophical Komphela, whose side's next assignment is a league visit to AmaZulu FC midweek.

He had only kind words for Chiefs fans: "We have so much respect for our fans. I'm sure they feel for [Meyiwa] and they saw the amount of effort we put in, more especially in the second half.

"It was unfortunate for us not to get a result. It's not nice to see your people leaving the stadium without victory. We don't like that.

"We would have liked to see them happy. It was possible to win this match even with one man down."