Richards Bay coach Dladla reveals tactical plan to beating Chiefs

Richards Bay coach Simo Dladla has revealed how their pre-match plans helped them beat Kaizer Chiefs.

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A stoppage time goal from Siyabonga Vilane help the Natal Rich Boys to a shock 2-1 win in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 at FNB Stadium on Sunday.

Leonardo Castro had levelled matters for Amakhosi after Thabani Dube had opened the scoring for Richards Bay in the 29th minute.

“It was a tough game but we had a plan coming here. We stuck to the plan. Lucky for us, we came here in a good run of form over the previous games so we said nothing changes,” Dladla told SuperSport TV.

“We said when we have the ball we need to play our normal game, our normal passing game. When we don’t have the ball then we must work hard, get behind the ball, which we did very well.

“I told them not many people can think, especially when you are compact. And that proved to work for us. We forced them into thinking hard and then they were forced to go wide because I got two tall centre-halves who can compete with Nurkovic and them. They played well.”

Dladla also revealed that they “benefitted” from playing in an empty stadium, saying his players would have been intimidated by Chiefs supporters.

“Of course, Chiefs is a big team. And for some of these guys Chiefs players are their idols so they were idolising them at times.

“We had moments where we could really get behind them. We didn’t. And I think that got them back into it because with the structure I thought we were ahead of them.

“Let me just say it’s clear we need support, moral support, spiritual support. Maybe it helped us today that the Amakhosi fans were not here. I think we benefited from that today.”

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