Chippa United coach Kwanele Kopo has criticised his team’s performance as their worst of the season following a narrow 1-0 loss to Kaizer Chiefs in the league.
Mduduzi Shabalala’s goal just before half-time sealed the victory for Chiefs, leaving Kopo frustrated with his side’s display.
“Firstly, congratulations to Chiefs. We were poor; it’s the worst I’ve seen from us this entire season,” Kopo said after the match.
“We couldn’t build from the back, and it wasn’t due to Chiefs’ pressing—it was because we took the wrong positions in midfield.”
Kopo highlighted the lack of composure in their passing as a key issue, particularly in midfield. “Everything that went to Andile (Mbenyane) and Sphe (Mkhulise) came straight back, putting us under unnecessary pressure,” he added.
Despite Chiefs’ dominance, Kopo felt they didn’t create many clear-cut chances. “Apart from a header from Yusuf Maart that Stanley Nwabali tipped over, their only real shot on target was the one that resulted in the goal,” he explained.
In an attempt to turn the game around, Kopo made tactical adjustments at half-time, shifting to a 3-5-2 formation. However, the changes failed to yield the desired results. “We struggled to press their back three with just one striker in the first half, and even after the switch, we couldn’t deliver quality service to Elma (Nfor) and Eva (Nga) upfront. That let us down,” Kopo admitted.
The coach also addressed his decision to substitute Ayabulela Konqobe ten minutes before half-time, bringing on Baraka Majogoro for tactical reasons. “It’s never something you want to do, but I feared leaving him on would only worsen the situation. I’ve apologised to him. He’s upset, as any professional would be, but it was a necessary decision,” Kopo stated.
Chippa now face the challenge of regrouping as they look to bounce back in their next league fixture.