August 27, 13:16IOL

Richards Bay coach regrets missed goal that allowed Kaiser Chiefs to avoid defeat

Richards Bay coach Ronnie Gabriel expressed regret over a missed opportunity after his team conceded twice and ultimately drew 2-2 with Kaiser Chiefs at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Wednesday evening.

The Natal Rich Boys looked ready to secure their first win of the season after Nkaba Xulu scored a brace and took the lead. However, a goal by Sifesile Ndlovu in the 77th minute helped Chiefs salvage a point.

Domestic Football

For Gabriel, the turning point was when Tulane Gumede had a one-on-one chance to make it 3-1. Gabriel noted: "I think we could have held onto three points. It is disappointing to lose three points like that and only get one." He continued: "We were leading 2-1, and then we had a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper to make it 3-1, but we didn't take the chance, and Chiefs equalized on the other side. If we had taken the chance, it would have been sealed. Those would have been our three points."

Richards Bay has always posed a threat on counterattacks, and their defensive organization has long presented difficulties for Chiefs. Gabriel particularly praised how his team neutralized Chiefs' threats in the wide areas, effectively utilizing wing-backs.

He stated that they prepared for the game against the strong Chiefs, especially considering their playing style: "We planned the game accordingly against the strong Chiefs, especially with the formation they use. We managed to neutralize the threats in the flanks using wing-backs."

Nevertheless, Chiefs' ability to dominate possession ultimately put the home team in a difficult position. Gabriel admitted: "I think they also dominated possession for a long time in the game. They created some difficult moments for us, some difficult tasks that we had to solve."

One of the significant positive aspects for Richards Bay was Xulu's continued performance, who increased his tally to three goals with a brace against Chiefs. Gabriel remarked: "He has been brilliant for us so far. He has shown his value, he has shown his significance, he has shown his quality, what he is capable of playing at this level."

He added that the best way to repay the team is by scoring goals every week. Now they need to continue working with him, refining the areas where he could improve, and this could become a season with 10-12 goals for him.

Gabriel's immediate priority is next week's KwaZulu-Natal derby against AmaZulu, as Richards Bay is still searching for its first three points in the league campaign. He concluded: "We will have to apply ourselves in the next game against AmaZulu and see if it brings us three points."

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iol.co.zaAugust 27, 11:10

Kaizer Chiefs coach Da Cruz expressed disappointment with the match result against Richards Bay, despite the positive contribution of substitutes

In the Betway Premier League match, which ended in a 2-2 draw at Priness Magogo stadium, Kaizer Chiefs faced serious difficulties from Richards Bay FC players, particularly Tulani Gumede.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz was pleased with how his substitutes influenced the game on Wednesday, but admitted that the team's inability to convert their dominance into three points caused him frustration.

The Chiefs team came back twice after falling behind at Princess Magogo Stadium. The winning moment that secured Amakhosi one point was created by Siphesile Ndlovu in the 77th minute. This goal was achieved after sustained pressure from Chiefs, especially thanks to the entrance of Dylan Solomon who repeatedly delivered dangerous crosses into the penalty area. Vandile Duba and Asanele Velebayi also brought fresh energy as Chiefs tried to win the match.

Da Cruz highly praised the work of his bench. The French coach noted: 'The idea was to bring on fresh players and add speed, as the players who started the game were very tired. I am very happy with the performances of the players who came onto the field. We had two big chances, one with (Etiosa) Igodoro, another with Duba, so I am glad about the attitude of the players who influenced the game.'

Despite the result leaving Da Cruz with mixed feelings, a positive aspect was that Chiefs controlled territory and possession for a long time, especially after the break. However, the team twice found itself in a situation where it had to chase the opponent due to defensive errors that allowed Nkabane Khulu to score twice for Richards Bay.

'Today we have eight points, but usually we should have had 12 points because we also made mistakes against Mamelodi Sundowns,' said Da Cruz. 'So today we need to learn from our mistakes, keep working hard, and look ahead.'

Despite his frustration, Da Cruz felt that Chiefs demonstrated a performance worthy of more than one earned point. He emphasized: 'I have two different feelings—I am happy with the team's performance because they played well, but we cannot make such mistakes at this level.'

Thus, Chiefs' night can be characterized as follows: the substitutes gave them energy for a counterattack, the attack created enough chances for a win, but defensive errors proved costly once again.

iol.co.zaAugust 26, 22:37

Richards Bay holds Kaiser Chiefs in tense match ending in 2-2 draw

Kaiser Chiefs were forced to settle for a single point after managing to come back twice and level the score with Richards Bay at 2-2 in an exciting Betway Premiership match held at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Wednesday evening.

The Chiefs team aimed to end their run of poor form in KwaZulu-Natal, but the persistent drizzle that began shortly before the game may have contributed to early rough tackles, especially from the home team.

Nevertheless, the weather could not dampen the enthusiasm of the Richards Bay fans, who loudly supported their team throughout the match.

Match Progression

The Richards Bay team scored first in the eighth minute, taking advantage of some indecision from Brandon Petersen. The Chiefs goalkeeper attempted to control a backward pass before deflecting the ball, but Nkaba Xulu intervened, and the ball went into the net.

Chiefs responded with a powerful onslaught, launching wave after wave of attacks, and got a chance in the 17th minute when they were awarded a penalty after the ball deflected off Thembelo Sikhakhane's hand in the penalty area. Lebogang Maboe calmly converted the moment, sending the ball into the top corner to equalize the score.

Despite this, Richards Bay continued to pose a threat on counterattacks, with strong Xulu being a constant danger. Their aggressive style also led to three yellow cards being shown in the first thirty minutes.

Petersen handled shots from long range well, but he could not prevent a dizzying shot from Xulu from a corner in the 39th minute, which flew over him and restored Richards Bay's lead.

After the break, Chiefs dominated territorially and in possession, with the right flank providing much joy, but they failed to find the final touch from numerous dangerous crosses into the box.

Tulane Gumede almost increased the home team's lead with his sharp shot, which made Petersen tense, and later he missed a great opportunity to take the game out of defeat by shooting the ball wide, narrowly missing the goal.

Chiefs brought on Vandile Dubu, trying to speed up the pace of the game, while substitute Dylan Solomon continued to deliver excellent crosses into the box from the right side.

However, a moment of magic was required to finally level the score with Amakhosi. Siphesihle Ndlovu directed his shot into the top corner after a perfectly delivered cross from Asanele Velebayi from the left in the 77th minute, giving Chiefs new hope for a comeback.

Nevertheless, Richards Bay held their position in the final minutes, securing a point, while Chiefs would analyze another disappointing night in KwaZulu-Natal.