Middendorp unimpressed with Chiefs players

Kaizer Chiefs were again uninspiring in their 1-1 draw against relegation strugglers Free State Stars and were lucky to emerge with a point from the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit with their equaliser coming from a contestable penalty.

Even coach Ernst Middendorp admitted the referee may have got his decision wrong when awarding Amakhosi the spot-kick.

Sibusiso Hlubi had put the visitors ahead six minutes into the second half and with Ea Lla Koto desperate for the win, they looked to be headed for a vital three points when Chiefs were given the controversial penalty.

Daniel Cardoso made no mistake from the spot to make it 1-1 and although both could have found a winner, the spoils were shared in the end.

The draw left Chiefs in seventh place in the Absa Premiership standings with 39 points after 29 games.

It was however more devastating for Stars who remain in the relegation places with 27 points and one game left.

Speaking in a post-match TV interview, Middendorp again vented his frustration with a lack of progress in terms of performance from his team.

The result is not good,” admitted the 60-year-old. “We have not achieved what we want. I’m looking at the performance and we always start playing only at a certain time. We are panicking, erratic, making too many individual mistakes,” added Middendorp.

He was clearly unimpressed with some of his players’ performances and even suggested that Lebogang Manyama who has just returned from injury gave a better display in the 20 minutes he was on the field than some of his fitter colleagues.

“If you really look at it, we had Lebogang Manyama for only 20 minutes, with 70 percent of physical capacity. We have a number of players not at their best, you have to look at it and work on it to get it right from week to week.”

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