Middendorp reacts to Chiefs’ first league defeat

Midfield veteran Jabulani Maluleke scored from the penalty spot to hand the visiting side the league at the FNB Stadium on Saturday evening.

“It wasn’t our game. We played consistent long balls. It was good central defensive work from the opponents. We had too many long balls on our side,” Middendorp told SuperSport TV.

“On the other side, we had possibilities to equalise or to make it happen, we tried but we didn’t find the right keys. We had to be calm and more composed but that was definitely missing in our game today.

The German lamented their inability to claw their way back after going down early in the contest, with ‘ball circulation too low and erratic’.

“If you allow them to have a 1-0 lead with the penalty, then it’s even more difficult because this team they sit back with nine guys around.

“And then you have to have quick ball circulation and not with high balls in the centre-back roles and we have been too erratic. We have to do it different and we can do it different,” Middendorp concluded.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.