Former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates defender Jimmy Tau thinks that Amakhosi defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele could have done more to stop Swallows FC from scoring at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.
The opening goal came via a Sifiso Hlanti cross, to which Kagiso Malinga reacted well by running in to meet the delivery on the volley before flicking the ball past Amakhosi keeper Bruce Bvuma.
But while some credit should go to the Swallows striker for what was an excellent finish, Tau felt that the defender marking him, Mphahlele, was too static and reacted to the opponent rather than showing more initiative and attacking the ball itself.
"The movement from Malinga [was good]. But you look at what Mphahlele could have done,” Tau said in his capacity as a SuperSport TV presenter.
"[He should have gone to] the ball, because now you are defending the object in this case, which is the ball and not just the box.
"You have already taken a position. So his next move should be anticipating the cross coming in. Instead of waiting for the ball to clear it, you go against him (Malinga),” added Tau, who played at right-back for both Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt also made reference to the error after the match.
"Things we need to work on, we work on every day. We got ourselves on the back foot, we should dealing with that (Hlanti’s cross), it’s come from a long way out."
Mphahlele is not the first Chiefs defender to make a clear mistake this season – the likes of Eric Mathoho, Daniel Cardoso, Siyabonga Ngezana have all made high profile and costly errors. So too have goalkeepers Itumeleng Khune (currently nursing a shoulder injury) and Daniel Akpeyi.
Mathoho is also injured at present and he and Khune remain doubtful for the Glamour Boys’ next game – a Caf Champions League quarter-final first leg clash against Tanzanian outfit Simba SC at the FNB Stadium on Saturday
In the domestic league Chiefs are 10th – on 30 points they are only five points above the relegation zone.
