Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz regrets dropped points ahead of match against Siwelele
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Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz regrets dropped points ahead of match against Siwelele

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz expressed regret over the four points the team lost in the first four matches of the season. Because of this, they are trailing rivals Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

The team will play its fifth league match, hosting Siwelele at Dobsonville stadium on Sunday afternoon. The match is scheduled for 17:30.

This game is crucial for Chiefs to remain among the leaders and close the gap on Pirates and Sundowns, who have shown that displacing the first and second positions requires something special.

Da Cruz told the media on Wednesday that the team always strives for victories at the start of the season. He noted that they should have 12 points after four games, but they lost four valuable points in the last two matches due to draws with Mamelodi Sundowns and Richards Bay, although they could have won those games.

Although Chiefs' home games traditionally take place at the FNB stadium, the team will temporarily move to Dobsonville stadium this coming weekend. This is due to the match between world champions Springboks and their long-time rivals All Blacks on Saturday afternoon.

Da Cruz is not overly concerned about the change of venue, focusing instead on the team's form. He emphasized that Chiefs are hosts on any arena in the country because they always provide a large share of spectators.

As a result, the team has at least three other home grounds across the country. The coach stated that they will train at the stadium in the afternoon to get used to the grass, surroundings, and field size, but this is not the main priority. Their main task remains concentrating on their game and fulfilling the set mission.

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

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