Chiefs’ last chance to salvage some pride
by Mark Gleeson,
2016-03-18 05:00:00.0
KAIZER Chiefs’ last hope for some redemption in a barren season comes on Sunday in the Cote d’Ivoire where they try to resurrect a precarious position against ASEC Abidjan in the African Champions League.
Reaching the group phase for the first time is Amakhosi’s last hope to salvage something from a league campaign in which they look destined to cede their crown and have not won any knockout trophies despite reaching two finals.
Having lost 1-0 to ASEC in the first leg of the second-round tie, the Chiefs cause is difficult and under-fire coach Steve Komphela left with his side yesterday unwilling to make a bold prediction.
"At least we have seen them play now and faced up against them and gauged ourselves against them.
"The thing that concerns me most is a situation again where we dominate, create chances we don’t take (chances) and then suffer an accident," said Komphela in reference to a soft goal conceded in the second half of last Saturday’s first leg at Soccer City to Adama Bakayoko.
"We want to go to Abidjan and get an early goal and put pressure on them. If we can get a second, then I think we’ll have them struggling.
"We are going quite soon after our game against Cosmos, but we knew about the programme, so we will just pick the best players and go there and see what we can do."
Chiefs have a poor record in the continent’s top club competition. Chiefs have never got past the third round in the Champions League.
The South African clubs that have played in the group phase — since it was first introduced in 1997 — are Ajax Cape Town, Manning Rangers, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United.
Steve Komphela. Picture: SOWETAN
KAIZER Chiefs’ last hope for some redemption in a barren season comes on Sunday in the Cote d’Ivoire where they try to resurrect a precarious position against ASEC Abidjan in the African Champions League.
Reaching the group phase for the first time is Amakhosi’s last hope to salvage something from a league campaign in which they look destined to cede their crown and have not won any knockout trophies despite reaching two finals.
Having lost 1-0 to ASEC in the first leg of the second-round tie, the Chiefs cause is difficult and under-fire coach Steve Komphela left with his side yesterday unwilling to make a bold prediction.
"At least we have seen them play now and faced up against them and gauged ourselves against them.
"The thing that concerns me most is a situation again where we dominate, create chances we don’t take (chances) and then suffer an accident," said Komphela in reference to a soft goal conceded in the second half of last Saturday’s first leg at Soccer City to Adama Bakayoko.
"We want to go to Abidjan and get an early goal and put pressure on them. If we can get a second, then I think we’ll have them struggling.
"We are going quite soon after our game against Cosmos, but we knew about the programme, so we will just pick the best players and go there and see what we can do."
Chiefs have a poor record in the continent’s top club competition. Chiefs have never got past the third round in the Champions League.
The South African clubs that have played in the group phase — since it was first introduced in 1997 — are Ajax Cape Town, Manning Rangers, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United.
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