Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Gaston Sirino was an unused substitute in the Richards By FC tie on Wednesday, and coach Nasreddine Nabi has revealed the reason behind the decision.
The Soweto giants secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over struggling Richards Bay FC in a Betway Premiership encounter at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. The match was marked by a dramatic second half, as the Amakhosi were reduced to 10 men when Reeve Frosler received his marching orders in the 48th minute.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Chiefs managed to hold on to their lead and secure a vital three points. The win propelled them to sixth position on the league table, albeit still trailing leaders Orlando Pirates by a significant 11-point margin. However, Amakhosi still have a game in hand.
Interestingly, Chiefs beat Richards Bay victory without the services of one of their key players this season, Sirino.
WHY GASTON SIRINO WAS AN UNUSED SUBSTITUTE DURING THE RICHARDS BAY WIN
The Uruguayan was named as one of the 20 players on the match-day squad but sat on the bench the entire game.
Nabi has since explained why the 32-year-old featured in matches so far was not used against Richards Bay. “He is coming from an injury. Even in the tournament that we played in PE [Home of Legends Cup], he was injured,” Nabi explained.
“We were planning to give him some minutes during the game. But given the circumstances with the red card, we couldn’t risk it. But we will probably see him in the next games.”
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs coach Nabi hailed the victory over Richards Bay as a crucial three points for his team.
He emphasised the importance of the win, particularly given the challenging circumstances of playing a significant portion of the match with ten men.
“It’s true that it’s a precious three points because it was a tough game. We got the red card in the first five minutes of the second half, then you play the whole second half with a man down,” he said.
“But we feel that we were good even though we were with 10-man. We managed to score the second goal, having a man down. It’s understandable that the opponents kept pushing, and maybe the energy on our side dropped because of a man down.”
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