Chiefs could hunt striker after loss
KAIZER Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has not ruled out the possibility of dipping into the transfer market for a more clinical finisher in the January window after his players spurned numerous opportunities in their Telkom Knockout loss to Wits at the weekend.
Dumisani Zuma and Gustavo Paez were the main culprits and missed chance after chance in the 1-0 semifinals loss at Milpark.
“Strikers are strikers‚” Komphela said after Saturday’s defeat.
“We could have had the best striker but if it’s not your day‚ it’s not,” the Amakhosi coach said.
“Missing chances like these [by Paez and Zuma]‚ happen.
“But if you ask me ‘if there is an opportunity for us to get another striker’‚ yes there is.
“With Zuma and Paez, I thought we could at least have an equaliser.
“Zuma had one-on-one twice. Paez also had his fair share.
“All these are excuses. But if you ask, ‘did we have an opportunity to equalise’‚ yes we did.”
Komphela was punished for starting with a lone striker – Bernard Parker – hoping to catch Wits on a counter.
What also did not help was Komphela’s decision to start with three central defenders.
Wits scored a firsthalf winner through a header by James Keene.
The Wits goal came after Chiefs midfielder Wiseman Meyiwa was shown a red card, for what looked like a soft landing on Daine Klate.
After the defeat‚ the question was: Can Komphela help Chiefs save face by winning some silverware this season? “The essence of a champion is not a fall but a rise. That’s what we should be concerned about‚” Komphela said. His next assignment is a midweek league visit by Kaizer Chiefs to AmaZulu.
Wits coach Gavin Hunt said reaching the KO final could be a turning point for his team.
If losing against Cape Town City in the semis of the MTN8‚ and missing a host of chances had negatively affected his student team’s season‚ Hunt hoped reaching the Telkom Knockout final would have the opposite effect.
“Hopefully, this can take us the other way,” he said.
“We know we have a tough task on Tuesday [league match against Mamelodi Sundowns].” – TimesLIVE