Chiefs coach questions mindset after shock defeat

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Mar 09, 2020. 14:00

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has questioned his team’s mindset following a shock 1-0 home loss at the hands of bottom-of-the-log AmaZulu this past Saturday.

The Amakhosi were beaten at the FNB Stadium thanks to a goal late in the first half from Usuthu striker Bonginkosi Ntuli.

The result lifted AmaZulu off the foot of the table (with Black Leopards filling their previous position), while Chiefs remained top but have now opened the door to a potentially thrilling title race with reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Brazilians, who exited the CAF Champions League this past weekend, are seven points adrift of Chiefs but have have two games in hand, the first of which sees them play away to Stellenbosch on Wednesday evening.

“The question mark of how can this happen? It has something to do with the mindset – Watford wins against Liverpool; Norwich wins against Leicester City – these are stuff that happened [elsewhere in the world],” said Middendorp, as quoted by Kick-Off.

“But it should not [happen], and I definitely believe if you have the right mindset on the field from the first second in attacking and defending then the result will be different.

“We did not do that; we took it too easy, there’s no denying that, and then of course in a critical moment [of going a goal down] it becomes more and more difficult.

“You boost the opposing team, their [defensive] wall gets deeper and deeper and you have a situation where a header is going here, and a header is going there; Lebogang [Manyama] missed a big chance to equalise early in the second half.

“This is a normal run of a game when something like this happens. So, it is not to deny but we have to recognise and prepare ourselves better for the next game.”

Chiefs will look to get back to winning ways when they host Bidvest Wits next Wednesday evening, March 18.