Following the recent defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the Betway Premiership at a sold-out Lucas Moripe Stadium, Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has issued another apology to the club’s supporters.
Lucas Ribeiro Costa netted the only goal of the match in the first half to help Sundowns extend their lead at the summit of the log standings.
The loss marks the eighth defeat for Amakhosi in 19 league matches under Nabi’s leadership, placing them eighth in the current standings. It is also the third time Chiefs suffer a defeat against Sundowns this season.
But Nabi believes it’s too early for panic and has asked the demanding Soweto giants supporters for patience, expressing confidence that his troops will improve.
“I would like to pass a message to the fans and apologise to them for where we are on the log standing,” said Nabi. “It doesn’t reflect the performances we have been having.
“We are working hard and we want to assure the supporters this is a temporary thing. We are sure the team will finish the league in a higher position than we are right now.
“We are feeling the improvement of the players in these big games where they show character and good mindset. It’s only the small things that could have made the difference in those big games, don’t panic.”
While acknowledging the loss to Sundowns as unfortunate, Nabi was pleased with Chiefs’ performance and has urged his team to build on it moving forward.
“It is the mindset we must have and be consistent. We need to take this performance against Sundowns into the next matches. When you play for these big clubs, sometimes the results are not good and critics are harsh on the players,” he added. “We have to encourage players so that they are in the right mindset and also work on the tactics of the game.
“We believe these players can do it, they just need to be supported because mistakes can happen to anyone, including the technical staff.”