Chiefs' shock loss has 'nothing to do with derby'
Baxter rues missed chances as Amakhosi go down to Stellies
Image: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Following Kaizer Chiefs' defeat to Stellenbosch yesterday, coach Stuart Baxter doesn't think that will have any impact heading into the derby against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Chiefs saw their run of successive victories ended by Stellies at home yesterday and head into the Soweto derby on the back of the 0-1 scoreline. But Baxter, who admitted that his side should have done better in the final third, didn't think his players had an eye on the derby.
“It doesn’t affect the derby at all. I think the derby has its own life, that's my experience,” Baxter told the media after the match. “We have a couple of days to recoup and refresh and put together a game plan for Pirates because you certainly are not trying to get one eye on Pirates and Stellenbosch... that would be suicidal.
“We gave attention to this game and we will give Pirates their attention now.”
Baxter was disappointed with the manner in which his side missed chances after going down to an Ashley du Preez striker late in the first half. “I think the first 15 minutes was okay, the high tempo that we wanted. We pinned them back and I think in their first attack, they broke free even though it was not dangerous, but it was a warning,” he said.
“I don’t know if that made us change things as we became scrappy and they took over the game and controlled the game quite well. They controlled the game quite comfortably.
“The goal came in the middle of that and that put us on the back foot. We had to chase the game and we changed tactically a couple of things at halftime and we improved and put more bodies high in the field."
Stellies coach Steve Barker was pleased with his side's performance as they remain unbeaten in the league this season. “For the first five to 10 minutes, we were on the back foot. We were nervous about the occasion and everything,” Barker said.
“But I felt from the 15th minute to half-time we were brave enough in possession and we were really good and got a goal. I thought it was a good first-half and second-half it became difficult and we were quite tired. But we put a solid defensive credit to the team.”