Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendortp says Lebogang Manyama was suffering from a hamstring injury, hence they decided to replace him at half-time during Wednesday’s shock 3-1 defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic.
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Manyama was withdrawn at the break and was replaced by Yagan Sasman with the score at 1-1.
“Manyama already has a certain challenge in terms of hamstring,” Middendorp told SuperSport TV. “It was a risk already to bring him in today and I could see he was not free to move. On the right side, we had some issues.
“We had some problems. I wanted to block it with a bit more solidity. But unfortunately, more or less in the first minute of the second half we conceded again.
“We should be disappointed. We haven’t really approached it like we wanted to win. We have to talk among ourselves in the next few days to be better prepared on Sunday.”
Middendorp feels his team took the Celtic game too easy following their come from behind win against Polokwane City last weekend.
“It’s always something when you take it too easy and I think we had this problem today. We were thinking with this setup, how we turned around Polokwane City and we wanted to take this drive in to this game today. But unfortunately it didn’t work.
“We were the ones who were leading but again it’s all about the energy, how we approach this game through the entire game. We haven’t done it right. Bloemfontein Celtic are a difficult side to play against.”
Chiefs will next face Stellenbosch FC at Orlando Stadium on Sunday.
