KAIZER Chiefs co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Yousef were left pale-faced on Tuesday ight as they take stock from the Stellenbosch defeat ahead of hosting Orlando Pirates at the FNB stadium.
Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
While Kaizer Chiefs players are expected to be self-motivated heading into the Soweto derby on Saturday (3.30pm), their medical and technical teams still have plenty of work to do in fine-tuning their readiness for the clash.
Chiefs will host arch-rivals Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium. They are currently fourth in the Betway Premiership standings with 30 points, eight behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have played one game more.
Still in the title race, Amakhosi could have gone into the derby with a smaller gap, especially considering they are also competing with Pirates, who are level on points with Sundowns, for the coveted title this season.
But it was not to be. They suffered a 2-1 league defeat to Stellenbosch FC on Tuesday night, marking their third loss in the last four games. This rough patch also includes earlier defeats to Stellenbosch and Zamalek, which saw them crash out of the Nedbank Cup and CAF Confederation Cup, respectively.
Granted, form is often said not to matter heading into a derby. However, Chiefs face a psychological battle, driven by the desire to win while entertaining the masses expected to fill the World Cup venue to capacity.
Speaking after the defeat to Stellenbosch at FNB Stadium, co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef explained how they plan to boost the players’ self-motivation following their recent struggles:
“When you are in the condition that we find ourselves in now, it’s part of our job to continue working hard,” Ben Youssef said.
“We need to work on the players mentally and prepare well for the derby. I think every derby has its own reality. Depending on the team’s results, that reality changes. We hope that we’ll be ready to win on Saturday.”
Winning the psychological battle is one thing, but the team’s technical department also has several gaps to address amid the side’s visible decline.
Their problems appear to be creeping in at the back, as they have conceded in their last four games – an uncharacteristic run for a defence that had been solid during Brandon Petersen’s impressive spell, which included 11 clean sheets in 15 league matches before conceding against Stellenbosch.
The scoring struggles have also persisted at Amakhosi. Chiefs have scored more than once in only one of their last four games – a 2-1 home victory over Al Masry. Their failure to score additional goals in that match ultimately cost them a place in the Confederation Cup quarter-final.
Following four substitutions against Stellenbosch – including three attackers, Mduduzi Shabalala, Wandile Duba, and Mfundo Vilakazi – that proved ineffective, Ben Youssef admitted they need to turn things around quickly.
“Like I said before, in a game there is either a right or wrong substitution. When we make a substitution, we expect a performance from the player,” Ben Youssef said.
“After the game, everyone can analyse it. But at this moment, I think we managed the game well. Unfortunately, the impact player was not at his best today. We have to analyse where we have fallen short in recent weeks.”
While Chiefs remain ambitious about winning the title and ending an 11-year drought, Ben Youssef reiterated that the team is still a work in progress and aims to improve on last season’s disappointing finish.
“From the start of the season, we have been repeating the same message: we are taking each game as a cup final and managing it that way,” Ben Youssef said. “We never said we are competing for the PSL title. We are trying to win each game. At the end of the season, we’ll see where we stand.
“After finishing 10th last season, we must continue to work hard. If we get the opportunity to fight for and win the title, we will take it. The most important thing right now is the team’s performance.”
*Mihlali Baleka is Independent Media's senior football reporter and a panelist on the group's soccer podcast, The D-Line, which is exclusive on our YouTube channel The Clutch