Kaizer Chiefs stand-in captain Bernard Parker feels the team has learned from the mistakes they made against Polokwane City last weekend.
Amakhosi suffered their first defeat of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign at home against Rise and Shine, and according to Parker, the players now know what works and what doesn't work for the team going into the AmaZulu match next week.
“Looking at our last game, we played well but the result did not go our way," Parker told the Amakhosi website.
"It’s a good thing that we know why we did not get the result we wanted. Now, as we prepare for the game against AmaZulu, we know the dos and the don’ts, what works for us and what does not work for us."
Parker said losing to Rise and Shine was a blessing in disguise, adding that the game was a test of character to the entire Amakhosi team.
“It’s a good thing we had that test and the defeat to Polokwane was a test of character. We have shown character in two of our games where we came back from behind and won those games,” added Parker.
The 33-year-old vowed to show the same level of energy and aggression against AmaZulu because they know the importance of getting back to winning ways.
As things stand, Chiefs top the PSL standings with 10 points from five league games, but they could find themselves surrendering the position should they fail to win against AmaZulu and other results don't go their way.
“We will go into this match with the same level of energy, aggression and spirit that we have gone into all our games. As well as knowing how important these three points are in keeping us at the top," Parker added.
While a section of Chiefs fans has criticised Parker's inclusion in the starting XI, the player feels he brings much more to the team, but he wants to see himself scoring more as an attacker.
“You want to make the most passes, the most touches in matches. I saw my stats after the last four games, and it was good to see that my work rate was satisfactory," continued Parker.
"It’s a confidence booster for me to see that I am on the right path and that I can be important to the team’s success. In terms of performance, I need to remain consistent.
"To add on top of this is for me to get a goal which I definitely want."
