Ntseki praises Gonzalez but admits Chiefs still need more finishing school

Head coach Molefi Ntseki said he was pleased with the performance of new striker Jasond Gonzalez, even though he couldn’t help Kaizer Chiefs hit the back of the net in a goalless DStv Premiership goalless draw with Royal AM at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The Colombian made his first start for Chiefs against Royal AM, after coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns, in the first leg of an MTN8 semifinal just before the international break.

Gonzalez was lucky to escape a red card for a dangerous-looking over-the-top tackle in the early stages, but did test Royal goalkeeper Xolani Ngcobo with an excellent header, just before he was substituted in the 66^th minute.

The Chiefs head coach praised his performance and that of midfielder Lehlogonolo Matlou, who also made his first league start of the campaign.

“They did well, it is just a matter of time for them to understand and get cohesion in terms of the runs they make and how to connect. I am sure in the next games they will be better,” Ntseki told SuperSport TV after the match.

Chiefs were a little unlucky against Royal AM, hitting the crossbar once in each half, through Edson Castillo and substitute Christian Saile. But Ntseki was also unhappy with his side’s composure in the final third.

‘We were rushing’

“I thought it was an improved performance in terms of ball possession, we created enough chances to win, the disappointing thing was the decision making in front of goal, we were rushing,” said the Chiefs head coach. 

“But in our overall performance we did very well in terms of creating opportunities and this (decision making) is something we can work on.

“It is coachable,” added Ntseki

“When you do exercises (in training) it is not only technical, but also tactical, to understand which area of the pitch the defenders will be and the position of their goalkeeper. But most important is the technical execution, and the mental side also plays a big role, because you need to be composed to …. take advantage of your chances.”

Chiefs only have a short amount of time to work on their composure in front of goal for now, with a tough-looking DStv Premiership encounter coming up on Wednesday at SuperSport United.