Ernest Middendorp attributes Kaizer Chiefs defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns to missed chances
Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp was left ruing his side’s missed chances after the 1-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns at Orlando Stadium on Thursday evening.
The slender win for Sundowns moves them level on points with top-of-the-table Chiefs, who lead the standings by virtue of a superior goal difference of plus six.
Bernard Parker had a golden opportunity to give the Amakhosi the lead after being played through one-on-one with the keeper in the opening exchanges, but he fluffed his lines at the crucial moment.
And in the second half, Dumisani Zuma and Eric Mathoho came close but it was not to be as despite Chiefs enjoying over 70 percent of the possession in the second half and an overwhelming amount of the territory, they were not able to find the back of the net, something which left Middendorp tearing his hair out about at the post-match press conference.
“Before we went down to 1-0, we had two clear chances, one against goalkeeper. We didn’t make it, we didn’t pick it up. Then we got caught on the counter,” the German tactician told SuperSport TV.
“We changed the formation. Changed the setup. Brought in players. I think in the second half it was 80/20 possession. We were consistently in their half. One mistake, one counter on the other side.
“We had possibilities in the second last minute, it was just a tap in with a header and then it was going to be at least 1-1. We were more dynamic in the middle of the park in the second half.
When looking ahead to the weekend’s clash against Bidvest Wits, he added, “It doesn’t matter who you play. If you play Baroka, Bidvest, Black Leopards. There is no easy game as we have seen in the past. It should not have happened today but good, we know why.”
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