Kaizer Chiefs held by Polokwane City as Fernando da Cruz rues costly mistakes

Kaizer Chiefs manager Fernando da Cruz blamed another defensive error after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Polokwane City on Saturday afternoon, their third draw of the Betway Premiership season.

Brandon Petersen’s own goal cancelled out Lebohang Maboe’s opener, denying Chiefs victory and preventing them from moving into second place.

Da Cruz believed Polokwane City were given a route back into the match by Petersen’s mistake, rather than creating enough opportunities to earn an equaliser themselves.

“We created chances, we didn’t make the break and when you didn’t make the break you give opportunities to the opponent to come back and for the moment it’s few weeks when we make a mistake every time, we concede a goal so we need to continue to work,” Da Cruz told SuperSport after the game.

The result followed a sequence of matches in which Chiefs have conceded after making costly errors. Asked about the pattern, Da Cruz said his team had previously avoided such mistakes but were now allowing opponents to capitalise on them.

“It’s very easy to analyse, (but) before we didn’t make mistakes and we then give chance for the opponents to score but now since Richards Bay then Siwelele and today Polokwane the opponent doesn’t create chance but we make big mistakes and we let them score goals.”

Despite the missed opportunity to claim three points, Da Cruz maintained that Chiefs remain on the right track and urged his players not to lose confidence.

“We must not doubt because we make good things but we’re not enough killers in the two boxes, our and the box of the opponent also.

“But also, we make good things so we must continue believing in ourselves because we’re on the good way.”