KAIZER Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter is convinced he has the antidote for tricky National First Division side United FC, whom he believes play “expansive football”, when the two teams meet in the Nedbank Cup semifinal tonight .
Chiefs are still recovering from their 3-1 defeat to Ajax CT in a midweek league match. Baxter admitted that the anticipation from Amakhosi supporters to win the championship as well as the cup was perhaps getting to his players. However, the coach said the slide will not continue against United at Soccer City.
“ I think if we return to the basics, we should again be comfortable,” Baxter said.
United look to have modelled their game to that of the Sundowns of old – with the free-flowing passing style evident on the road to the semifinals. Their coach, Dan Malesela, is a former great of the Brazilians and his young team has impressed the critics.
A large number of the squad is made up of Sundowns players, who are on loan.
Baxter refuted suggestions that Chiefs’ defence has looked fragile in previous league matches when reminded that tomorrow night’s opponents had scored a minimum of two goals in each game so far in the competition.
“Up until the Ajax game, we probably had the best defence in the league and we haven’t yet had a debrief about it. But we were too open and our defending was not our normal standard,” the coach said.
The one thing Baxter admitted to worrying about was his players’ mental state, especially with the remaining two Premier League games two weeks away.
“When you are chasing two trophies you always worry if the players can handle it. ”
Chiefs captain Itumeleng Khune said he would use the time before the match against United to pick himself up after he let in three goals for only the second time this season. The goalkeeper saw four goals put past him in Chiefs’ first match of the season, a 4-1 thumping by Sundowns in August.
Chiefs vow to fight back
Chiefs are still recovering from their 3-1 defeat to Ajax CT in a midweek league match. Baxter admitted that the anticipation from Amakhosi supporters to win the championship as well as the cup was perhaps getting to his players. However, the coach said the slide will not continue against United at Soccer City.
“ I think if we return to the basics, we should again be comfortable,” Baxter said.
United look to have modelled their game to that of the Sundowns of old – with the free-flowing passing style evident on the road to the semifinals. Their coach, Dan Malesela, is a former great of the Brazilians and his young team has impressed the critics.
A large number of the squad is made up of Sundowns players, who are on loan.
Baxter refuted suggestions that Chiefs’ defence has looked fragile in previous league matches when reminded that tomorrow night’s opponents had scored a minimum of two goals in each game so far in the competition.
“Up until the Ajax game, we probably had the best defence in the league and we haven’t yet had a debrief about it. But we were too open and our defending was not our normal standard,” the coach said.
The one thing Baxter admitted to worrying about was his players’ mental state, especially with the remaining two Premier League games two weeks away.
“When you are chasing two trophies you always worry if the players can handle it. ”
Chiefs captain Itumeleng Khune said he would use the time before the match against United to pick himself up after he let in three goals for only the second time this season. The goalkeeper saw four goals put past him in Chiefs’ first match of the season, a 4-1 thumping by Sundowns in August.
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