Khanye blames Komphela for Swallows loss to Pirates

Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has blamed Steve Komphela’s poor tactics for Moroka Swallows’ loss to Orlando Pirates in the original Soweto derby.

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The Dube Birds lost 2-0 to the Buccaneers in a DStv Premiership clash played at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday. A well-taken goal by Evidence Makgopa and an own-goal by substitute Sipho Sibiya earned Pirates maximum points and bragging rights over their Soweto rivals.

Khanye believes Komphela’s poor tactics led to Swallows’ defeat against Bucs.

“Swallows didn’t report for duty today. I’m speaking in terms of playing the game. Tactically, they were very poor. I mean, you can’t struggle to penetrate a team that defends with two defenders because the other two wing backs are attackers. I’m speaking about (Deon) Hotto and (Fortune) Makaringe,” said Khanye during an interview with iDiski TV.

“I blame coach Steve Komphela. I mean, as a coach, he was supposed to take charge. He needed to cheat. Gabadinho Mhango, the front three…for the first 10 minutes, just target Makaringe on the right and cheat.

“If you’re going to tell the team to defend and attack as a whole, it’s a problem because his (Komphela) team failed to combine. I mean, there was no combinations in the middle. I’m talking about (Tlakusani) Mthethwa, (Lindokuhle) Mtshali and (Tshediso) Patjie. If I’m not mistaken Patjie has not played a game under Komphela this season. Maybe he has come in, in the last minutes in the games that have not been televised, I don’t know, but I’ve never seen him play. And to bring him in, in a game such as this one…the original Soweto derby,” he added.

“When I say tactically Swallows were poor, I mean you could tell that they were told to play the ball through the middle. When centreback (Vusi) Sibiya receives the ball, he’s always facing his goals and he was struggling when he was pressed by the Pirates attackers and it happened maybe five times. Pirates didn’t create much especially in the first half, they got their chances from pressing the Swallows defence,” continued the former Platinum Stars and Maritzburg United winger.

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Khanye complimented Pirates for taking their chances and on winning the game against Swallows.

“Well done to Pirates for winning the game. Individually they were good and they won it, but as a team, not one of the best games for them. But having said that, individually, they were better than Swallows and well done to them,” concluded Khanye.

Swallows are not in action this coming weekend, they will next play SuperSport United at home next week Friday.

Pirates will host TS Galaxy at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.