Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has offered a defiant defence of his side following their elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup by Zambia’s Red Arrows on Friday night.
Amakhosi suffered heartbreak at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, bowing out of the tournament in the second preliminary round after a 3-2 defeat on penalties to Red Arrows.
The Soweto giants had worked hard to level the tie 1-1 on aggregate. A crucial 66th-minute goal by Bradley Cross secured a 1-0 victory on the night, successfully canceling out the deficit and forcing the encounter into a penalty shootout.
However, the Glamour Boys failed to hold their nerve from the spot, missing out on a place in the group stages.
FERNANDO DA CRUZ DEFENDS KAIZER CHIEFS’ DEFEAT TO RED ARROWS
Despite the elimination, Da Cruz remained proud of his team’s display, pointing to his side’s injuries and missed opportunities during regulation time.
“Today we won the game; however, we lost in the penalty shootout. But on the field, we won the game,” Da Cruz told members of the media after the final whistle.
“When you saw our team today, there were five injured players, and the performance of the team was very positive.”
Meanwhile, Da Cruz lamented his side’s lack of killer instinct in front of goal, noting that the tie should have been put to bed long before the penalties.
“It’s very disappointing to lose the game in penalty shootouts because we had a lot of chances to score during the 90 minutes. Normally, we would have finished this game 3-0 or 4-0,” he added.
“I cannot say anything to the players because they showed a lot of character, personality, and intensity. So, while it’s very disappointing, I cannot criticise them.”
Chiefs will now turn their full attention back to domestic commitments as they look to regroup following the continental disappointment.
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