Maritzburg deserved to win against Chiefs – Middendorp

This comes after Amakhosi were bundled out of the Telkom Knockout by the Team of Choice after losing 2-1 at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday, with Judas Moseamedi scoring the brace for Eric Tinkler’s team.

READ: Maritzburg prolong Chiefs’ cup drought

“Congratulations to Maritzburg United, I think a deserved win, there’s no doubt about it. After we conceded 1-0 in the first-half, absolutely challenges with our defence despite we were sometimes two against one, three against one,” Middendorp told SuperSport TV after the game.

“A bit surprisingly, on the other side in terms of our combination game through the midfield it was not really a factor as it could be, should be, how we can do it, good.

“Then of course you equalise, then you give it away again, a little bit surprising with the quality we should have. It was not definitely the performance what we have seen today, what we are capable of,” added the German coach.

Middendorp felt his players were already thinking about the final.

“Always worldwide something when you’re going to the game, you’re just not really, bring your concentration to the point where it should be. You’re already in this game playing Sundowns on the 14th [of December].

“We spoke about it several times. I said, ‘Please don’t underestimate (Maritzburg). Please make sure that we’re first taking this game before we think about the next one”. That’s a normal way, it’s nothing unusual, it happens worldwide. I was thinking we would be able to handle it but opposite we failed here,” concluded Middendorp.

Chiefs will now change their focus to Wednesday’s league clash against Maritzburg United at Cape Town Stadium.

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