Too many draws are costing Kaizer Chiefs, coach Steve Komphela said after Amakhosi’s 0-0 Absa Premiership stalemate against Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Saturday night.Both Komphela and Sundowns counterpart Pitso Mosimane accepted that a point was a fair result in a match where Chiefs tentatively dominated the first hour, and Sundowns sprang to life in the final 20 minutes.
Both coaches said a hard and wet pitch made it difficult for their teams to play their normal, on-the-carpet games.
Komphela said Chiefs’ seven draws from 13 matches have been costly so far this season. Amakhosi have lost just once, but have also only won five times.
“I think when one looks at the log, and the number of matches drawn, you would feel hard-done by. There are just too many draws for us, and you cannot forget that because of the match we’ve just gone through,” the Chiefs coach said.
“You say 60 points can win the league, and that’s two points a game. So after 13 games you should have 26 points. We have 22, so that tells you we are four points behind where we should be.
“The difference between a win and a draw today was just composure from George Maluleka. Without putting any pressure on George, and saying he should have won it for us, it does make a difference if you put that ball at the back of the net.”
Maluleka missed a sitter when he was through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat in the 58th minute.
Komphela, though, accepted that, with the way Sundowns finished the game, a draw was a fair result.
“Both teams play a pressing game. And as it rained during the day I just hoped it wouldn’t rain during the game because in any pressing game there is the possibility of fouls and yellow cards. And I thought we saw that.
“Both teams had opportunities to win it. Tebogo Langerman hit the post for them. There was a beautiful pass from Siphiwe Tshabalala that put Maluleka through, and he couldn’t take it..”
Mosimane said a hard pitch made conditions underfoot difficult for both teams.
“The game was tight. As Steve said, in a pressing game between two big teams they don’t give each other a chance to settle on the ball.
“But what did not help is the pitch. The boys are complaining they couldn’t shoot off the ground and had to chip balls.”
Chiefs remain five points behind log leaders Sundowns (27 points).
Too many stalemates costing Kaizer Chiefs dearly
Both Komphela and Sundowns counterpart Pitso Mosimane accepted that a point was a fair result in a match where Chiefs tentatively dominated the first hour, and Sundowns sprang to life in the final 20 minutes.
Both coaches said a hard and wet pitch made it difficult for their teams to play their normal, on-the-carpet games.
Komphela said Chiefs’ seven draws from 13 matches have been costly so far this season. Amakhosi have lost just once, but have also only won five times.
“I think when one looks at the log, and the number of matches drawn, you would feel hard-done by. There are just too many draws for us, and you cannot forget that because of the match we’ve just gone through,” the Chiefs coach said.
“You say 60 points can win the league, and that’s two points a game. So after 13 games you should have 26 points. We have 22, so that tells you we are four points behind where we should be.
“The difference between a win and a draw today was just composure from George Maluleka. Without putting any pressure on George, and saying he should have won it for us, it does make a difference if you put that ball at the back of the net.”
Maluleka missed a sitter when he was through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat in the 58th minute.
Komphela, though, accepted that, with the way Sundowns finished the game, a draw was a fair result.
“Both teams play a pressing game. And as it rained during the day I just hoped it wouldn’t rain during the game because in any pressing game there is the possibility of fouls and yellow cards. And I thought we saw that.
“Both teams had opportunities to win it. Tebogo Langerman hit the post for them. There was a beautiful pass from Siphiwe Tshabalala that put Maluleka through, and he couldn’t take it..”
Mosimane said a hard pitch made conditions underfoot difficult for both teams.
“The game was tight. As Steve said, in a pressing game between two big teams they don’t give each other a chance to settle on the ball.
“But what did not help is the pitch. The boys are complaining they couldn’t shoot off the ground and had to chip balls.”
Chiefs remain five points behind log leaders Sundowns (27 points).
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