Kaizer Chiefs’ assistant coach Ben Youssef voiced his frustration after the club was held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by AmaZulu at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday evening, an outcome he felt denied his side a deserved victory.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, the Amakhosi could only manage a single point, dropping crucial ground in the Betway Premiership.
Read: AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane Praises Kaizer Chiefs’ Progress and Development Strategy
Match of Missed Chances and Controversy
The match started with Chiefs showing strong intent, troubling the Usuthu defence with several efforts in the opening 20 minutes. That being said, it was AmaZulu who struck first, netting against the run of play when Zimbabwean striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya finished well, a goal that Youssef later put down to a “don’t concentrate” moment from his players.
Chiefs were handed a lifeline in the 30th minute with a contentious penalty awarded for handball against Riaan Hanamub. Unfortunately, the club’s top goal scorer, Glody Lilepo, saw his effort saved by an in-form Darren Johnson, adding to a concerning recent trend of missed spot-kicks for the Soweto giants.
The Offside ‘Touch’
Just two minutes after the penalty miss, Mduduzi Shabalala leveled the score, finishing a swift counterattack into the top corner. Chiefs continued to probe, with Nkosingiphile Ngcobo also being denied by Johnson before another moment of controversy struck just before half-time.
Pule Mmodi had a goal-bound shot that appeared destined for the net, only for an offside Khanyisa Mayo to tap it in, which was immediately flagged by the assistant referee.
Speaking on the contentious incident after the match, Ben Youssef pinpointed the moment as a turning point, expressing a mix of pride and disappointment:
“The first 30 minutes of the first half we created minimum four chances to score, then we concede a goal where we don’t concentrate.”
“As I said for the players always, football is playing in small details. It’s very tough for the players mentally when you have a penalty and miss a penalty.
But we continued to fight, we scored with [Mduduzi] Shabalala then we got another opportunity, we score. It was a goal, Mayo touched the ball to be offside.”
The assistant coach was clearly proud of the team’s fighting spirit despite the setbacks. “I feel happy about the performance, but the result it will come with time,” he stated, emphasizing that he believed Chiefs “deserved to win, we deserved the three points.”
Penalty Woes
The miss by Lilepo marks the second successive PSL match in which Chiefs have failed from the spot, following Gaston Sirino’s saved penalty against Marumo Gallants last week. This is despite the Amakhosi having converted all five of their penalties in a recent CAF Confederation Cup shootout win against Kabuscorp SCP.
Youssef made a point of defending both Lilepo and Sirino following their costly failures, choosing to focus on the team’s overall effort rather than individual errors.
The frustrating draw extends Kaizer Chiefs’ winless streak in the Betway Premiership to three fixtures. The result sees them move into fifth position on the league table, while AmaZulu jumped above Richards Bay into ninth.