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Kaizer Chiefs’ lack of depth and defensive frailties once more came to the fore in their defeat to Zesco United in their CAF Confederation play-off on Saturday.
The 2-1 loss at FNB Stadium not only marked the elimination of Amakhosi in the second tier continental club competition but it was the seventh time the team had conceded a goal in their third official match.
While coach Ernst Middendorp blamed this unwanted record on “individual mistakes”, he argued that injuries to “six or seven” regular players also had a negative effect on the team.
Zambian powerhouse Zesco took the lead just 10 minutes into the game when Antony Akumu fired past Virgil Vries in Chiefs goal from long range after the muscular midfielder had dispossessed his counterpart Hendrick Ekstein of the ball near the halfway line.
Jesse Were sent the game beyond Amakhosi’s reach in the 68th minute following a counter-attack, while Khama Billiat scored Chiefs’ consolation on the stroke of full-time following a late rally by the hosts.
Chiefs went into the game trailing 3-1 from the first leg at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola last weekend and they needed to win Saturday’s reverse fixture by two goals with a clean sheet but the Zambians proved too good as they advanced 5-2 on aggregate.
“If you assess the two games at the end of the day, it’s a fully deserved qualification to the second round for Zesco,” said Middendorp at the post match conference.
“I think they haven’t made any mistakes in terms of their defensive and attacking work when they had possibilities to score. They took their chances.”
With regards to his side’s costly errors, the German made several references and went as far back as their league defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns earlier this month where goalkeeper Virgil Vries’ late howler gifted the defending champions a 2-1 win.
Despite their 2-0 victory over Bidvest Wits a fortnight ago, Chiefs went on a conceding spree afterwards as their rearguard let in seven goals in three games in a matter of few days.
In between their demolition in Ndola and on Saturday, Amakhosi conceded further in their 3-2 league victory over AmaZulu during the week.
“I cannot be happy but in the end, I am working with human beings and I have to be realistic. I cannot go like a bulldozer through the dressing room knowing exactly how we performed,” said Middendorp.
“I know we made these mistakes but my job is to make players fresh and prepare them for the next game.”
Middendorp got hot under the collar when he was asked if the team missed their Number one goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune based on how Vries had also exposed his shortcomings since his costly error against Sundowns.
“It’s very unfair to ask if the team was missing Khune but I have to answer your question. [Yes] I’m missing experienced players – five or six, all national team players. [Lebogang] Manyana, [Philani] Zulu, Khune, Tower [Mulomowandau Mathoho], Rama [Mphahlele]… the list is long.
“It’s not about one player. It is unfair to the team and the players we have on the field.”
Khune and Manyana have been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
At the back of his third defeat since he took charge of Chiefs on December 7, Middendrop maintained that his side was prepared for the return match against Zesco.
“I believe we have seen individual mistakes in the first and second half,” he said.
“It is not excuses. It is just mentioning the facts. The facts to really understand why certain players are providing mistakes when they have not done so three days before.”
But again, Middendorp admitted that his side met their match having advanced in the previous rounds of the competition at the expense of minnows Zimamato FC of Zanzibar and Madagascar’s Elgeco Plus.
“There is a huge difference [between] the level of Madagascar representative and Zesco.
“If we want to see our teams going on to be successful in this international business [CAF interclub competitions], we need at least one week of preparation time to be fresh and have a chance to compete.
“Unfortunately, we have not qualified. We have six games [starting] next week. We’ll manage it coming back fresh in the cup game on Sunday.”
Chiefs will face ABC Motsepe League campaigners Tornado FC in the Nedbank Cup last 32 at the Siza Dukashe Stadium in East London on Sunday.
This will be followed by an Absa Premiership clash with Cape Town City six days later and Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby on February 9.
Other CAF results involving South African clubs
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 Wydad Athletic
Orlando Pirates 3-0 Horoya AC
