Kaizer Chiefs head coach Molefi Ntseki says they lived up to expectations tactically despite the 1-0 defeat to Young Africans SC at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.
Chiefs faced off against the Tanzanian domestic treble winners in Dar es Salaam for the fourth annual Wananchi day where six of their new signings were thrown into the starting eleven but fell to a 1-0 loss with Kennedy Musonda scoring for the home side.
While there were mixed reactions about the performances from the club’s supporters, Ntseki feels it was step one of their plan for the 2023/24 season.
“We had a tactical plan for that particular game. Also, not forgetting the fact that the opposition analyse us and we do the same to them,” he told the club’s website.
“In a marathon, you have to have endurance. We are building tactical endurance, physical endurance and mental endurance because if you don’t, you won’t be able to finish the season on a high.”
In front of a sold-out Mkapa, with over 60,000 fans, the former Bafana Bafana boss went on to reiterate that it was the perfect preparation for the new season in difficult conditions away from home – to prepare them for challenges that lay ahead this campaign.
“When it comes to the game we played today, it was a very important game in terms of our preparation, tactically and physically, but mostly the mental side. Playing the champions of the Tanzanian league with confidence in front of their home fans, with their new players and new coach, I think we lived up to expectations,” Nteski added.
“From our side, we are very happy because they posed a lot of questions to us and we will be able to look into those questions and provide answers going forward. Today was a preparation match and both teams were looking at combinations and individual players we brought into the side, and it was a good exercise from which we benefitted.”
Chiefs will now travel to Botswana where they will face up against Township Rollers at the National Stadium on Saturday, 29, July, for their final pre-season fixture before their DStv Premiership campaign kicks off against Chippa United on Sunday, 6 August.
