Kaizer Chiefs reserve side head coach Vela Khumalo has made a claim that the level was a bit too high for Orlando Pirates in their crunch DStv Diski Challenge Soweto Derby tie.
Chiefs might be struggling this season, but against Pirates they always find a way. Everything was going well for Pirates after Chiefs midfielder Kabelo Nkgwesa received a red card inside 15 minutes as the Buccaneers immediately took the lead.
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But the defending champions showed the character as they came back to win the game by 2-1.
Khumalo was over the moon stating that this is the game they don’t like to lose, and the level was high for Pirates youngsters.
“I think I must first start by congratulating our boys. In a situation like this, when it’s Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, you don’t coach that much without saying let’s stick to our principles and stay within the structure, but the rest is up to the players,” Khumao told SuperSport TV.
“I didn’t really notice that we were one man down at one moment. I think in the first stanza of the game, we were really dominating. There were moments where we kept the ball very well, and the goals we scored looked good.
“We knew that in the second half, they would come at us, but we were setting up traps to counter when they came; we’d sit on a medium block, and then there would be an outlet from Malefo, who I think played very well.
“He was on the ball, Stevie was on the ball. It was more about players who have been in derbies more than the other players. But I think we played well, and Pirates, congratulations on the effort you put up against nine players. You did your best, you tried your best, but I think the level was a bit higher for the boys, for Pirates.
“But we were brilliant, we were good, and we wanted it more. It’s not a new thing altogether, honestly, to play a derby with those boys and with the motivation.
“I mean, how many times have we been in this situation, and we’ve been winning most of them? And that was the pressure we had to maintain what we’ve been doing, which I think we did very well.”
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