Chiefs’ goal blitz brings Solinas joy
Kaizer Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas is pleased that his players have been buoyed, having put four goals past Zanzibari club Zimamoto in their Caf Confederation Cup opener in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday night.
Solinas was particularly satisfied that his star forward, Khama Billiat, could bolster his personal confidence with a hattrick in the 4-0 preliminary round‚ first leg victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Amakhosi’s confidence boost against the team from Zanzibar was timely – it followed Saturday’s disappointing 2-1 Soweto derby Telkom Knockout defeat at the hands of Orlando Pirates in Durban.
“I am happy because my boys played very well. It was a very good performance‚” Solinas said afterwards.
“It was very important‚ also‚ not to concede a goal‚ because the rules for away goals [dou- bling them] when you play away are very important.
“I am happy also because we finished the game without injuries to the players.
“Now we need to focus on the next game‚ because on Saturday we have a very important match.”
Chiefs meet Lamontville Golden Arrows at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu‚ Durban at the weekend.
Solinas believes his team’s thrashing of Zimamoto – with Billiat scoring in the seventh‚ 60th and 73rd minutes‚ and Kabelo Mahlasela in the 68th – has lifted his team’s mood ahead of their return to KwaZulu-Natal.
“Yes. It’s very important. “It’s also very important for example that Billiat scored‚ because goals help strikers with confidence‚” the Amakhosi coach said.
“But tonight all the players tactically and technically played a good game.
“We completely dominated the game. We not only did not concede a goal‚ we also did not concede a chance.
“For the number of chances we created maybe we could have scored more goals.
“But it’s OK. It’s important that tonight the players played good football.
“And this is very important because we will go to the next game against Arrows in a good mood.” –
‘We completely dominated the game. We not only did not concede a goal‚ we also did not concede a chance’ Giovanni Solinas
KAIZER CHIEFS COACH