“We knew that their centrebacks sometimes take risks and we tried to push to make a trap. I think even in the first half it was a tactical, at the beginning of the game, we said let's manage the first half. We knew that Sundowns were [fatigued] after the game against Esperance and we knew that they couldn't manage 90 minutes.
“But we had to prove that we deserve to be in the final...”
The Glamour Boys will have a chance to end their 10-year trophy drought when they come face to face with Pirates next month and Nabi feels they can do it.
“You have to consider the number of years it took Sundowns to build their team, that's why we are still in the process. We are taking things step by step in building our squad,” he said.
“When we play Sundowns, one of the biggest teams, it's always tough. But in the last match, they were luckier than us.
“We had opportunities but didn't convert. Yet, they always manage to score, we manage to score. We always remind the players that we are often close to winning the game, but there are problems, mistakes or just bad luck.”
SowetanLIVE
Our game plan was to play deep to beat Downs – Nabi
Coach says Chiefs deserve to be in the final
Image: VELI NHLAPO
Kaizer Chiefs Nasreddine Nabi has discussed his tactical plan that saw them emerge victorious against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semifinal at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday.
The win, courtesy of goals from Wandile Duba and substitute Ashley du Preez, saw Amakhosi advance to the final where they will face Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on May 10. Tebogo Mokoena had scored for Sundowns in the stroke of half time.
Chiefs and Sundowns have met four times already, with Masandawana winning three before Sunday's match, twice in the league and the other in the Carling Knockout.
Nabi, who was in charge of all the matches, believes his side was unlucky to lose all of them and revealed how he plotted for Sundowns' downfall on Sunday.
“I think in the last two games against Sundowns we were unlucky that we did not score the opportunities we got. Today [Sunday], the game plan was we needed to play deep, we knew that Sundowns always like to find difficulty,” Nabi told the media during the post-match press conference.
“We knew that their centrebacks sometimes take risks and we tried to push to make a trap. I think even in the first half it was a tactical, at the beginning of the game, we said let's manage the first half. We knew that Sundowns were [fatigued] after the game against Esperance and we knew that they couldn't manage 90 minutes.
“But we had to prove that we deserve to be in the final...”
The Glamour Boys will have a chance to end their 10-year trophy drought when they come face to face with Pirates next month and Nabi feels they can do it.
“You have to consider the number of years it took Sundowns to build their team, that's why we are still in the process. We are taking things step by step in building our squad,” he said.
“When we play Sundowns, one of the biggest teams, it's always tough. But in the last match, they were luckier than us.
“We had opportunities but didn't convert. Yet, they always manage to score, we manage to score. We always remind the players that we are often close to winning the game, but there are problems, mistakes or just bad luck.”
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