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Quote: “I’m very happy, but we need to improve and work again.” - Fernando Da Cruz, Kaizer Chiefs coach
Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz hailed his side’s fighting spirit during their 3-1 win over Kruger United in the opening match of the Betway Premiership at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, but cautioned that there is still a lot of work to be done.
Chiefs took an early lead through Flavio Da Silva, but were pegged as they conceded an equaliser on the stroke of half-time through Khethukuthula Ndlovu.
Substitute Wandile Duba, who replaced Da Silva, responded with two second-half goals, as Chiefs got their campaign off to a fine start and Da Cruz was pleased with the impact the substitutes made.
“I would like to thank the players for the three points because it is they who played this game. We controlled the game during the first 30 minutes and after the last 15 minutes we had a lot of pressure and we conceded an equaliser,” Da Cruz told the media during the post-match press conference.
“And then in the second half, we started with the same intensity, same control of the game. I’m very happy with the players who came in because they kept the same level of intensity as we controlled the game.
“I’m very happy, but we need to improve and work again.”
With two wins out of two, including their victory in the Toyota Cup last week, Da Cruz feels the players are buying into his philosophy but said that it’s still early to judge.
“At the moment, the players like the game model we are introducing, and I hope that it will continue but it’s only two games and the season will be long and we have a lot of work to be done.”
Meanwhile, Kruger coach Abram Mongoya is optimistic his players will bounce back saying they didn’t have a proper preseason.
“I have to give credit to the boys because we had an abnormal preseason, very difficult because we didn’t have enough friendly matches,” Mongoya said.
“So, it is very unfair to judge them in this game and say they struggled. They did their best, I think there is a little bit of a gap between the players we had last season. You can see the fluidity once they play together.”
Other results: Sekhukhune 1-0 Durban; Stellenbosch 0-1 AmaZulu; Arrows 0-0 Chippa.
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