Kaizer Chiefs should have tried to bring substitute winger William Twala more into the game‚ said coach Steve Komphela after his side’s 5-3 Nedbank Cup quarterfinal penalties defeat against SuperSport United at FNB Stadium.
Amakhosi for much of the game had struggled to come up with a way to stifle SuperSport’s transition play at the same time as producing their own chances in Saturday evening’s quarterfinal.
Matsatsantsa took the lead‚ having created some solid chances‚ in the 72nd minute through Jeremy Brockie's strike.
Twala's introduction after that‚ for Sibusiso Khumalo‚ helped Chiefs finally get behind SuperSport's rigid defence more.
The winger provided the cross for Ramahlwe Mphahlele's headed 81st-minute equaliser‚ then for Dean Furman to handle in the area for a penalty in extra time by Bernard Parker that was saved by Matsatsantsa goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse.
“Even before we could go to the deciders on penalties‚ there was a penalty we got towards the end of the first half of extra time that we could not convert. And it would have been a different scenario‚" Komphela said afterwards.
“But I thought even in the first half‚ we never had much space to play with‚ especially centrally. SuperSport sat very well‚ and they had a nice block that we could not penetrate.
“In the second half we had to think and find a way to get behind them. And we tried stretching the game‚ putting Twala in there‚ with 'Rama' (right-back Mphahlele) occasionally going through. And it looked like we were getting something.
“What I thought we could have done better on the night was to use Twala more. Because each time he was wide he had a bit of space. And (SuperSport right-back) Michael Boxall was sitting on a yellow.
“One thing we should learn is that maybe when the full-back is on the pressure on a yellow‚ and your winger is on form‚ we could have done better in that regard.
“As for the rest‚ whatever we say counts for nothing. And penalties‚ as much as they are a lottery‚ we lost them. It's just disappointing that we had to go out in this manner.”
Chiefs now have just the league to play for if Komphela is to avoid going his second season at Amakhosi without a trophy.
Third-placed Chiefs meet leaders Cape Town City at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday night. - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Beleaguered Komphela regrets not playing Twala earlier in Chiefs' defeat to SuperSport
Kaizer Chiefs should have tried to bring substitute winger William Twala more into the game‚ said coach Steve Komphela after his side’s 5-3 Nedbank Cup quarterfinal penalties defeat against SuperSport United at FNB Stadium.
Amakhosi for much of the game had struggled to come up with a way to stifle SuperSport’s transition play at the same time as producing their own chances in Saturday evening’s quarterfinal.
Matsatsantsa took the lead‚ having created some solid chances‚ in the 72nd minute through Jeremy Brockie's strike.
Twala's introduction after that‚ for Sibusiso Khumalo‚ helped Chiefs finally get behind SuperSport's rigid defence more.
The winger provided the cross for Ramahlwe Mphahlele's headed 81st-minute equaliser‚ then for Dean Furman to handle in the area for a penalty in extra time by Bernard Parker that was saved by Matsatsantsa goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse.
“Even before we could go to the deciders on penalties‚ there was a penalty we got towards the end of the first half of extra time that we could not convert. And it would have been a different scenario‚" Komphela said afterwards.
“But I thought even in the first half‚ we never had much space to play with‚ especially centrally. SuperSport sat very well‚ and they had a nice block that we could not penetrate.
“In the second half we had to think and find a way to get behind them. And we tried stretching the game‚ putting Twala in there‚ with 'Rama' (right-back Mphahlele) occasionally going through. And it looked like we were getting something.
“What I thought we could have done better on the night was to use Twala more. Because each time he was wide he had a bit of space. And (SuperSport right-back) Michael Boxall was sitting on a yellow.
“One thing we should learn is that maybe when the full-back is on the pressure on a yellow‚ and your winger is on form‚ we could have done better in that regard.
“As for the rest‚ whatever we say counts for nothing. And penalties‚ as much as they are a lottery‚ we lost them. It's just disappointing that we had to go out in this manner.”
Chiefs now have just the league to play for if Komphela is to avoid going his second season at Amakhosi without a trophy.
Third-placed Chiefs meet leaders Cape Town City at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday night. - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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