Posted in News, Team News on Mar 05, 2017.
“This is really wonderful,” reflects former Kaizer Chiefs player Vusi ‘Computer’ Lamola when walking across the pitch at half-time, greeting enthusiastic Amakhosi supporters who remember the legendary midfield general from the seventies.
More than ten former Glamour Boys joined Lamola on the field, including Jackie Masike, Joseph ‘Bank’ Sethlodi, Ryder Mofokeng, Paradise Legodi, Lucky Stylianou, Johannes ‘Big Boy’ Kholoane, Sylvester ‘City’ Kole and Jack ‘Black Stone’ Chamangwana, who was flown in for the Soweto Derby.
They were all closely following the Derby, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere at the stadium.
“We gave away too much space in the first half,” comments Chamangwana on the first half, when the score was one-all, with Joseph ‘Tight’ Molangoane scoring for Amakhosi. “The centre-backs, Lorenzo Gordinho and Erick Mathoho did well, but there was too much room for Pirates to move in.”
The Malawian wore the Gold and Black jersey between 1986 and 1989. The former defender’s opinion is backed by Stylianou, who played six years for Chiefs after becoming the first white Glamour Boy in 1978.
“Willard Katsande held the centre together, winning nearly all his battles, but he wasn’t always backed up by his compatriots in the midfield,” Stylianou analysed. “Itumeleng Khune, however, had a brilliant first half, while Bernard Parker also did well up-front.”
Lamola, meanwhile, felt that, although Chiefs opened the score after a well-worked combination between Siphiwe Tshabalala, Parker and Molangoane, they were lucky not to get behind in the first half.
“If it wasn’t for Khune we would have been behind,” Lamola felt, “the scoreboard was not a true reflection of the first half.”
However, Chamangwana, Lamola and Stylianou were all optimistic that the second half would be better, if only the gaps in midfield would be closed down.
And, the former Chiefs players’ half-time optimism nearly came true, if only Katsande would have scored the penalty.
Stylianou, however, still rates the Zimbabwean as Amakhosi’s Man of the Match.
Chamangwana, meanwhile, felt that the movement from defence to attack could at time have been a bit quicker: “It often needed more than four to five passes to get into the opponent’s half, that’s too much.”
On the other hand, the Malawian felt that coach Steve Komphela made a good substitution by bringing on William Twala in the second half: “He was always looking at ways to run or pass the ball forward, instead of going backwards or sideways.”
Stylianou also had another interesting comment: “This game was certainly a promotion for South African soccer. It showed as well that we can compete with the best of the world when it comes to the short passing game, ball being passed over five to ten metres, although, maybe, we could improve a bit with the distribution over longer distances.”
Masike summed up the Derby experience well: “There was a fantastic atmosphere. I wanted Chiefs to win, but it wasn’t to be. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching the game.”
More than ten former Glamour Boys joined Lamola on the field, including Jackie Masike, Joseph ‘Bank’ Sethlodi, Ryder Mofokeng, Paradise Legodi, Lucky Stylianou, Johannes ‘Big Boy’ Kholoane, Sylvester ‘City’ Kole and Jack ‘Black Stone’ Chamangwana, who was flown in for the Soweto Derby.
They were all closely following the Derby, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere at the stadium.
“We gave away too much space in the first half,” comments Chamangwana on the first half, when the score was one-all, with Joseph ‘Tight’ Molangoane scoring for Amakhosi. “The centre-backs, Lorenzo Gordinho and Erick Mathoho did well, but there was too much room for Pirates to move in.”
The Malawian wore the Gold and Black jersey between 1986 and 1989. The former defender’s opinion is backed by Stylianou, who played six years for Chiefs after becoming the first white Glamour Boy in 1978.
“Willard Katsande held the centre together, winning nearly all his battles, but he wasn’t always backed up by his compatriots in the midfield,” Stylianou analysed. “Itumeleng Khune, however, had a brilliant first half, while Bernard Parker also did well up-front.”
Lamola, meanwhile, felt that, although Chiefs opened the score after a well-worked combination between Siphiwe Tshabalala, Parker and Molangoane, they were lucky not to get behind in the first half.
“If it wasn’t for Khune we would have been behind,” Lamola felt, “the scoreboard was not a true reflection of the first half.”
However, Chamangwana, Lamola and Stylianou were all optimistic that the second half would be better, if only the gaps in midfield would be closed down.
And, the former Chiefs players’ half-time optimism nearly came true, if only Katsande would have scored the penalty.
Stylianou, however, still rates the Zimbabwean as Amakhosi’s Man of the Match.
Chamangwana, meanwhile, felt that the movement from defence to attack could at time have been a bit quicker: “It often needed more than four to five passes to get into the opponent’s half, that’s too much.”
On the other hand, the Malawian felt that coach Steve Komphela made a good substitution by bringing on William Twala in the second half: “He was always looking at ways to run or pass the ball forward, instead of going backwards or sideways.”
Stylianou also had another interesting comment: “This game was certainly a promotion for South African soccer. It showed as well that we can compete with the best of the world when it comes to the short passing game, ball being passed over five to ten metres, although, maybe, we could improve a bit with the distribution over longer distances.”
Masike summed up the Derby experience well: “There was a fantastic atmosphere. I wanted Chiefs to win, but it wasn’t to be. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching the game.”
