Nasreddine Nabi has come out in defence of striker Ranga Chivaviro after Kaizer Chiefs fans criticised him for missing chances against SuperSport United.
The former Marumo Gallants striker had numerous opportunities to score for Amakhosi at Peter Mokaba Stadium, but was unfortunate not to have found the back of the net.
However, the forward went on to redeem himself when he scored Chiefs’ third goal of the match in their 4-0 victory over Matsatsantsa.
“My responsibility as a coach is to protect my players,” the Tunisian mentor spoke through his interpreter.
“When they go through difficult moments we can’t have emotional reactions like the fans. That’s why we did not substitute him when he missed those chances. I told him to remain focused because he is going to score. I was very happy that the trust that we put in him paid off.”
With three appearances for the Glamour Boys, Chivaviro has managed to find the back of the net twice with his first goal this season coming in their 3-1 win over AmaZulu FC in a Betway Premiership tie before scoring again in the 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the following game.
Nabi will be hoping his trusted striker keeps on scoring and earns trust from the club’s fans in their upcoming fixtures.
With the spot in the next round of the Carling Cup sealed, Amakhosi will face SuperSport once again, but this time in a league clash at the same venue on Saturday.