Why Billiat, Zuma started on the bench

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has explained his line-up selection against Mamelodi Sundowns, including the reason Khama Billiat only came on at half-time.

Chiefs were without two key players Samir Nurkovic and Leonardo Castro for their top of the table clash against Sundowns on Thursday evening, which ended 1-0 in favour of the defending champions.

The result saw Amakhosi forfeit their three point lead at the summit of the log, with only goal difference separating them from The Brazilians with three games remaining.

Plenty of criticism came from Middendorp’s selection, which saw Lazarous Kambole lead the attack and 17-year-old Keletso Sifama get his first PSL start while star forward Billiat was left on the substitutes bench until half-time.

“We must be honest now really, we have Covid-19 time and if a player — whoever it is — at a certain time has this [period of] being unlucky and has been (injured), then he’s out for two weeks and then out for another week,” Middendorp raised as one of his concerns.

“Everybody can believe that we are really, really going very clear structured in the technical team, we know which players really have (to be monitored).

“You could see Dumisani (Zuma) injured his hamstring and is out, now of course we have to ask why? There’s a very clear reason for this.

“Not being over a period of more than three weeks in a training process and preparation time, why do we have to set it up and change three players (at half-time) as you have seen against Stellenbosch and now (against Sundowns).

“It’s not because I don’t like this player or I don’t like that player, or you’re getting irritated. We had two very important players for us not available because of yellow cards (Nurkovic) and the other one (Castro) is injured, out for three weeks and left already the bubble.

“So then we have to try and find the (replacements), and we’re aware about it that a number of players cannot work it out for 90 minutes. So, please believe me, there are clear reasons for it.”

Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has opened up about his side ‘parking the bus’ in their top-of-the-table fixture against Kaizer Chiefs.

Sundowns performed what some football pundits would refer to as a “smash-and-grab” at Orlando Stadium on Thursday evening, having walked away 1-0 victors over Chiefs.

The fixture was widely billed as the ‘clash of the season’ as the long-time log leaders had the opportunity to fend off the defending champions ahead of the final three games of the campaign.

However, there wasn’t nearly as much entertainment on display, with The Brazilians having grabbed a first-half lead before retreating into their own half to defend their goal with upwards of eight defenders on the pitch.

“You are right when you are saying [there were] two right-backs and two left-backs, yes. I had to double up (Tebogo) Langerman with Lyle (Lakay), which are my two left-backs, and one is a winger but you know I convert them,” explained Mosimane after the game.

“And I had to double up Anele (Ngcongca) with Lebohang Maboe because we were under pressure and the balls were launched from the sides. And if you play Kaizer Chiefs, you don’t look at the diagonal balls they play behind.

“Thank God Nurkovic and Castro were not playing, but that’s their plan and that’s the way they play — they play with diagonal balls that are played behind, and if you don’t deal with that you’ll be in trouble. So we didn’t want the crosses to come but they still did, and we then closed the sides so that the crosses must not come easier, and you respond to what the question is.

“If they put four or three strikers, what do you think I should do? Play modest and not put three or four centre-backs? The question is, I’ve got people playing in the heart of my defence — four black jerseys there, so we respond (with more defenders).

“It’s not about what I want, to play modest, it’s about what is the question. Obviously they wanted to win, they needed to equalise of course, and they were putting a lot of pressure on us, so we have to respond to what the question is.

“We can play modest and say, ‘No, we don’t put people there at the back.’ Oh, but they’ve got three people as strikers, so what am I going to do? And they pushed Mathoho up front, so I have to respond.” — kickoff.