Coach defends Cardoso
TKO LOSS: MIDDENDORP ADAMANT HE DIDN’T LOSE TACTICAL BATTLE
Kaizer Chiefs coach, Ernst Middendorp seemed understanding of Daniel Cardoso’s miscued back pass that led to Maritzburg United’s first goal in their Telkom Knockout semifinal defeat on Sunday afternoon in Nelspruit.
Asked what he made of the blooper, Middendorp simply said: “It happens.” Cardoso tried to play a back pass to Bruce Bvuma but it went horribly wrong as he miscued it and Judas Moseamedi got to the ball first and rounded the keeper before slotting into an open net. Maritzburg won the game 2-1 as Moseamedi scored again late in the game, just after
Amakhosi had equalised through Yagan Sasman.
In Erick Mathoho’s absence through suspension, Middendorp played Sasman at centre back but he couldn’t strike an immediate understanding with Cardoso and things got worse as the game progressed.
“Defensively we were not present,” said Middendorp. “Our combinations through the midfield were non-existent. It was a bit surprising. It’s always an option to skip the midfield line but it was too much. We haven’t really played like this before and ... you equalise and then ... you expect that we are capable of going to extra time and try to handle it,” he explained.
Middendorp dismissed the notion that it was a tactical battle which he lost to Eric Tinkler, saying the game was won and lost based on several factors, including that some of his players were already thinking about the final.
“We tried a different approach with wide players in the second half, with Reeve (Frosler) and Bernard Parker. We just haven’t seen our players performing in the way they did. It happens all over the world, you think already one game ahead.
“That is what we saw with a number of players on our side not really into it as they are capable to perform. That’s the reality. It’s not about mentioning them one by one. But we didn’t perform the way we can,” he said.
The German mentor accepted that it didn’t work out for them on the day but said it was now onto the next one which is an away Absa Premiership game at Stellenbosch FC tomorrow evening.
“It’s quite quick (turnaround) and now our focus should be on the game on Wednesday. We are not splitting games into cup or league games, we just go from game to game. We didn’t perform today,” he said.
Middendorp said he was also upset that he couldn’t use Khama Billiat, who aggravated a hamstring injury when he was on duty for the Zimbabwe national team last week.
“It’s upsetting. He went with a tight hamstring into two national team games. He played Botswana with pain and he played again against Zambia. That’s not possible. We tried on Saturday again, but couldn’t play him.”