ABSA Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs will face their crucial last two games of the season without coach Stuart Baxter on the bench, as he was red-carded in their 2-1 Nedbank Cup semifinal victory over United FC at Soccer City on Saturday night.
Baxter was sent off for apparently using abusive language towards referee Victor Gomes in the 90th minute of the unspectacular win against First Division United to reach the Nedbank final, where Chiefs will face Platinum Stars or SuperSport United.
Amakhosi will hope Baxter's absence from the bench in their final two league games - against SuperSport at Peter Mokaba Stadium on May 15 and then Pretoria University at Loftus on May 18 - does not derail their title hopes. Chiefs' goalscorer and man of the match Lehlohonolo Majoro downplayed the effect that Baxter's absence from the bench will have.
"We do our preparation in the training sessions. When it comes to the game we already know what's expected from us. That's why we have our assistant coach, Doctor Khumalo, who has the same mentality.
"So whatever preparation we do for the game against SuperSport will be in training, and then it will be up to us as players because then there's nothing the coaches can do. They cannot play for us - we are the ones who are supposed to play," Majoro said.
"We have to be professional enough and man enough to do our business, which is playing football and winning games."
Chiefs capitalised on some nervous defending from their NFD opponents on Saturday, with Majoro sweeping in from close range in the fifth minute and George Lebese heading in a second in the 16th.
Referee Gomes awarded a soft 80th-minute penalty when there was barely contact between Chiefs defender Tefu Mashamaite and United substitute Conrad Madolo, from which Walter Maponyane pulled a goal back.
Chiefs assistant Khumalo, who attended the post-match press conference in place of Baxter, said Amakhosi are not getting ahead of themselves in anticipation of a potential league and cup double.
Baxter to miss Chiefs run-in
ABSA Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs will face their crucial last two games of the season without coach Stuart Baxter on the bench, as he was red-carded in their 2-1 Nedbank Cup semifinal victory over United FC at Soccer City on Saturday night.
Baxter was sent off for apparently using abusive language towards referee Victor Gomes in the 90th minute of the unspectacular win against First Division United to reach the Nedbank final, where Chiefs will face Platinum Stars or SuperSport United.
Amakhosi will hope Baxter's absence from the bench in their final two league games - against SuperSport at Peter Mokaba Stadium on May 15 and then Pretoria University at Loftus on May 18 - does not derail their title hopes. Chiefs' goalscorer and man of the match Lehlohonolo Majoro downplayed the effect that Baxter's absence from the bench will have.
"We do our preparation in the training sessions. When it comes to the game we already know what's expected from us. That's why we have our assistant coach, Doctor Khumalo, who has the same mentality.
"So whatever preparation we do for the game against SuperSport will be in training, and then it will be up to us as players because then there's nothing the coaches can do. They cannot play for us - we are the ones who are supposed to play," Majoro said.
"We have to be professional enough and man enough to do our business, which is playing football and winning games."
Chiefs capitalised on some nervous defending from their NFD opponents on Saturday, with Majoro sweeping in from close range in the fifth minute and George Lebese heading in a second in the 16th.
Referee Gomes awarded a soft 80th-minute penalty when there was barely contact between Chiefs defender Tefu Mashamaite and United substitute Conrad Madolo, from which Walter Maponyane pulled a goal back.
Chiefs assistant Khumalo, who attended the post-match press conference in place of Baxter, said Amakhosi are not getting ahead of themselves in anticipation of a potential league and cup double.
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