Staff Reporter.
Backpagepix.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter was disappointed with the manner in which his side conceded against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs wasted several opportunities while Lebogang Manyama missed from the spot, as Sundowns rallied to a 2-0 win on Sunday evening.
“I have to say we started the game very well. I think the first 20 minutes we dominated the game completely and as you say during that 20 minutes you have to score. Because we did have good chances. And then as a sort of cold shower came their goal. It was a very poor goal from our side. And it wasn’t reflective of the game at all,” Baxter said.
“I think we went on the backfoot for 15 minutes and we waited for Sundowns to try and put balls behind our back three and then I think the last 15 minutes we got the game back in the first half. So we go in 1-0 down but I think we’ve had the better share of the play.”
Baxter was not happy with how the goals were conceded as they were punished at a set-piece and then another cross into the box.
“We came out the second half, we changed the way we’re going to press them and suddenly they can’t get out and we’ve got them penned in. And then after 70 minutes, we conceded a goal. I still don’t know how we conceded it. It wasn’t great play, it was just someone twisting and getting himself to the byline and crossed it and we didn’t deal with it.”
“And then you’ve got to start chasing your own tail. And we lose our rhythm. But still we’re not out the game and we miss a penalty.”
Meanwhile Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena was full of praise for the entire group of players and technical staff.
“Not easy. Credit to the entire team, to the technical staff. A very good team performance, even with the subs coming in you could see the intensity and the willingness to assist the team to win the game. Congratulations to Sundowns, strong, powerful performance,” Mokwena said.
“We worked a bit on different schemes in preparation for the different flexibility because Stuart Baxter is a top coach. He’s watched us. He’s prepared very well. We worked hard and the result goes to show.
“Big performance from the players. Big, big performance. And all the teams all over the world have to show discipline and character and intensity and good fight and that’s what we did today.”
Mokwena was then asked about talk of friction among the coaching trio, but asserted that the dust has already settled in that regard.
“The elephant is out of the room,” he said. “It’s old news. We move. The talking is done on the pitch and I think the players did the talking. Top performance. I just have to single out Denis Onyango. Football’s a team game but big, big save when it was 1-0 allowed us to have the momentum and go for the kill. Thats why he’s one of the best in the world and one of the best on the African continent.”