We need to avoid silly errors, says Chiefs skipper Khune ahead of crucial match against Sundowns

Kaizer Chiefs must avoid the elementary mistakes they've been making in their defence if they're to avoid falling way short of the target they've set themselves for the 2022-2023 campaign, veteran club goalkeeper and captain Itumeleng Khune said this week. 

Khune was speaking days before Chiefs host log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Saturday, a game in which Amakhosi will be trying to avoid a third straight defeat after losses to Sekhukhune United (1-0) and AmaZulu FC (4-0).

Both losses were due to Amakhosi's own errors at the back.

"That's something that shouldn't be happening when you're playing for Kaizer Chiefs, making such errors," Khune said of their latest defeats. 

"Even our head coach (Arthur Zwane) was telling us (this week) that the stats indicatet out of the 20 goals we've conceded in the league (16 matches), 13 of those goals we've given to the opponents.

"We made those errors in our last third and we gifted them the goals. If we didn't do that I think we would have been far (high up) on the log. Those are the things we need to avoid, silly errors in our own half. We play good football, we take the game to our opponents but we get disappointed when we get in front of goals." 

Khune said the defeat against AmaZulu in Durban was the most excruciating because all the goals they conceded were as a result of their own mistakes. 

The result against AmaZulu left Chiefs 19 points behind Sundowns, the team that will travel to Soweto on Saturday seeking to register a new record of 12 successive league victory with a double over Chiefs, a side the Brazilians thrashed 4-0 in Pretoria in the first round. 

"I think as players it is a difficult pill to swallow after our (4-0) defeat against AmaZulu. Going into this week we've told ourselves that as hard as it is, we  have to put it behind us and start focusing on our next important home match against Mamelodi Sundowns.

"We have to go out there and get the result we want, which is a win at home. It's very important we forget about the past and focus on the future."

Khune said they need no motivation when they go to the clash against Sundowns and urged the club's supporters to come in their numbers to lift their spirits. 

"As players, since we started training on Monday we've been highly motivated. We were a bit down, a bit disappointed about how we lost the match (against AmaZulu) because the coach had a plan.

"We went to the field and we made silly errors, silly mistakes that led to goals. If you had to look at the stats, first half only, sometimes we created more than nine chances but we hit the target once.

"That's something that needs to change. I don't think being given the tag that we're underdogs will affect our preparations. We're going to host Sundowns and we urge our supporters to come in numbers and rally behind the team because without them we're nothing.

"We need their support so t we can a go out there highly motivated and win the game for them because they play a huge role in making sure we perform and get the result we want."

Like his coach Zwane, Khune insisted Chiefs have not performed badly this season and are happy with their current position, given  they're building a new team around a number of youngsters who have been promoted to the senior team from the club's development ranks. 

"We're not doing badly because I think we're still number four after two losses but we're not happy and not proud that we've dropped six points out of the two matches and more especially at home.

"We've told ourselves  this season we won't let any opponent come to FNB and walk away with three points."

Sekhukhune is the only team that has beaten Chiefs in a home league match played at FNB Stadium this season.

Chiefs' other home defeat, a 2-1 loss against Chippa United, was at their alternate home venue at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.