Ernst Middendorp, Kaizer Chiefs, December 2018

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp calls draw with SuperSport United 'disappointing'

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp lamented Amakhosi's Premier Soccer League (PSL) draw against SuperSport United on Friday night.

Chiefs fell behind early courtesy of a Mxolisi Macuphu strike, but eventually, parity was restored in the 14th minute as Khama Billiat drew the away side level.

However, Middendorp was clearly not pleased with the result.

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“Yeah I think it’s unnecessary to play like this, disappointing and there’s no doubt about it. Of course, after we make this 1-1 we have to be smart, more clever to make the second goal because at that time we had them on the backfoot,” Middendorp told SuperSport TV.

“We haven’t done that and yeah the pace in the second half was not the same like the first half, good but despite, I think it should have been done in the first half - the second goal when we scored the first goal I can repeat this,” he added.

Speaking about the second half, the Amakhosi boss said his men could not maintain their concentration levels against an experienced Matsatsantsa defence.

“The pace was higher and I’ve seen the second half on the other side. Another defender, in addition, comes in and yeah. Then it becomes a little bit difficult against an experienced defence to open up and score goals,” reacted the coach.

“We did not have the same concentration with all the players we had in the first half, but I think the ambition was there and unfortunately we could not deliver,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, Middendorp has bemoaned injuries to some of his key players which includes talisman Lebogang Manyama but acknowledges improvement continues to be made at the club.

“I think that I will answer this into the direction of my players, our team. Please ask the supporters on social media if they see the same game as in September, October, November and I think they’ll probably tell you that we have new players,” he continued.

“Still some players are not on 100% where I think they could and should be, we have players sitting outside, it’s painful to see every day a guy like Lebo Manyama not available for us and so on, but that is not an excuse - we should have won this game today,” he concluded.

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