Steve Komphela: The second goal killed everything

by Graeme Jackson

Sunday Mar 04, 2018. 13:30

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has admitted that the second goal conceded by his side in yesterday’s Soweto derby “killed everything”.

The Amakhosi were beaten 3-1 by rivals Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium, but the game was very much in the balance at the interval, with the score at 1-1.

However, Buccaneers’ substitute Luvoyo Memela scored within seconds of the restart in the second half to turn the game in his side’s favour.

“If you were to sum it up in one line, you would say we played, they scored. I thought we should have buried the match in the first half, we were pressing quite well, we didn’t give them time and space to turn because one of their strengths is that once they get turned, they flood your defensive zone,” Komphela told SuperSport TV.

“In the second half, I think the second goal killed everything. An early goal for them boosted their morale and we had to reshuffle a bit.

“I still believe even on the back of the goal our players played well. It was a good game for a neutral, good game for the supporters, but just a bad result for us.

“What they did is that as soon as we lost the ball or we lost our pressing then as soon as they get turned they see their bodies upfront and you feel that energy, that’s where the difference came.

“The pressing was perfect in the first half but we were losing it a bit in the second half and that was the difference.”