Kaizer Chiefs is through to the semifinals of the Caf Champions League (Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix)
Kaizer Chiefs’ defeat at Simba SC on Saturday was one of the most exasperating losses the club has ever had to endure.
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This is because it has been a while since Amakhosi fans wished the game to end as early as the start of the second half.
It was hard to watch as Simba launched wave after wave of attacks and looked hungry and likely they’d overturn the 4-0 deficit. But at the end of the day, losing 3-0 was not even an embarrassment for Amakhosi as they celebrated.
Despite the loss, they had advanced to the semifinals of the Caf Champions League, setting yet another club record. The result has been a subject of big debates. Some feel Chiefs should have gone for a more conservative approach and parked the proverbial bus.
Some thought they did well by trying to take the game to their hosts. Here we argue that the defeat was what Amakhosi needed. Here are the reasons:
Keeps them as underdogs
The 4-0 win over Simba at home must have shook the continent and made all the other teams sit up and take notice. Here is a team who barely made it to the group stages where they just made it out. Their domestic form showed they were just lucky to go as far as the quarter finals.
But beating a highly rated Simba so easily opened another page. It showed a side who are dangerous and should be regarded as such. That would make things difficult for them going forward because the opponents would not let their guard down. But now they have gone back to being the underdogs again, which is a good position to fight from especially when a team has nothing to lose like Chiefs.
Brings them back to earth
The big win also had the potential of fooling Chiefs into believing they are the big boys now. And it is well known that overconfidence can be self-destructing. The defeat away reminded them that they are still vulnerable and need to always pack a fighting spirit. It brings them back to reality that they are where they are because of hard work, and not capabilities only.
It’s a good lesson
The lessons are for both the technical team and players. They went the take the game to them approach and it almost backfired. Having conceded early, they had to make sure they don’t disintegrate and become anxious. Surely, coach Gavin Hunt will have picked up a few methods of approaching away games at this stage where everything must be left on the field.
