Amakhosi’s plan backfires
Coach Giovanni Solinas finds that his away-goal advantage isn’t enough
● Kaizer Chiefs’ plan to use their away goal advantage to lock out SuperSport United backfired badly at FNB Stadium last night when Bradley Grobler scored a solitary goal to deny Amakhosi their first appearance in the MTN8 final since 2015.
In a competition that Chiefs had previously dominated, winning it 15 times since its inception in 1972, Amakhosi failed to control this match and the loss will fuel pressure on coach Giovanni Solinas, who seemed helpless in organising his defence.
Cup holders United smartly took their time before former Chiefs playmaker Reneilwe Letsholonyane supplied Grobler with a killer assist to score his third goal in this twowent
Solinas applied defensive tactics and made four changes to his starting lineup
legged semifinal encounter.
Knowing that a 0-0 draw would be enough for a spot in the final on September 29, Solinas applied defensive tactics and made four changes to his starting lineup.
The plan, however, come unstuck against Kaitano Tembo’s side which did enough to absorb all the home side’s counterattacking pressure before they won it with their own quick counter.
The first half was atrocious with Chiefs looking to frustrate United by hogging possession in their own half and looking to counter United.
Tembo’s team tried their best to press the home side deep into their danger area but they only came close to scoring when they secured dead balls, which seemed to leave the Chiefs defence totally confused.
Concerned about the number of goals Chiefs have been conceding, both in the league and cup matches, Solinas made four changes to his starting lineup, the notable and biggest casualty being central defender Daniel Cardoso, who had featured in all of the previous Amakhosi matches this season.
Cardoso’s place was given to Zimbabwean defender Teenage Hadebe, injured towards the end of last season.
Also making way for new blood was left back Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya, whose place to new signing Godfrey Walusimbi, the 29-year-old Ugandan signed from Kenyan outfit Gor Mahia FC in August.
No 1 Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune also returned after missing the midweek 2-2 league draw against Bloemfontein Celtic due to a hand injury.
Central midfielder Wiseman Meyiwa completed the four changes, taking Khotso Malope’s position as Solinas sought to strengthen the marking in the middle.
Chiefs have conceded seven goals in five league matches this season.
Ironically, even one of Solinas’s players, striker Castro, questioned his coach’s tactics in their draw against Celtic as they conceded two goals in the last 16 minutes after taking a 2-0 lead and looking to secure their first league win this season.
Castro suggested that his coach could have closed shop by introducing a player like Meyiwa when they were leading.
The draw against Celtic was the fourth of the season in five matches, leaving the Phefeni Glamour Boys languishing at 13th on the log, and with Cardoso singled out as the weakest link in some of the matches drawn.
It remains to be seen how long Amakhosi head honchos will keep tolerating Solinas’s chopping and changing of his lineup without delivering any good results.