Former Kaizer Chiefs winger, Junior Khanye believes that Phathutshedzo was hiding as Orlando Pirates got revenge and beat Amakhosi on penalties to qualify for the final against Mamelodi Sundowns.
” Overall the game was balanced, but Pirates had the better players on the field,” Junior Khanye told Thisisfootball.Africa.
” At first Kaizer Chiefs were exposed on the right side, where Monnapule Saleng was playing as a left winger because Njabulo Ncgobo is not a right back. To add to this, when last did he play? “
Most of the game was plagued by players slipping all over the show and poor final third decision making. Bucs celebrated when the final penalty was slotted in by Vincent Pule after Sifiso Hlanti of Chiefs ballooned his penalty over the crossbar.
“Saleng did not make use of his advantage over Ncgobo, because he would cross to Kermit Erasmus, which was a waste because height is not on Erasmus’s side. Ndlondlo was off, Makaringe drifted inside and was tactically poor. When I saw the midfield, I thought Adlondlo would be more attack minded, but he was very lazy losing balls, making wrong decisions. Pirates didn’t play well because of him, he didn’t make himself available,” added Khanye.
“Maart is not one of my favourite players, but he did well in the build-up. He did everything that is required as a midfielder, playmaking and defending. But Nange was nowhere to be seen, he was hiding. Nkosingiphile Ngcobo played in moments and that made it hard for Chiefs.”
Another big factor was the incorrect decisions by the assistant referees. Chiefs thought they had scored in the 77th minute, but Ashley Du Preez was adjudged to be offside. Pirates also had their own offside call wrongfully decided when Zakhele Lepasa made a run through a few minutes earlier
“You can’t let a defender take a penalty while you’ve got Du Preez and Khama Billiat there. An attacker has better technique than a defender, that’s why Hlanti didn’t hit the target,” explained Khanye.
” Miguel Timm stood out for me, Mthetwa and Xoki too. Saleng had such a lot of decision-making problems, I saw he was voted as the man of the match, that’s wrong.”
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