Tension was thick enough to cut with a knife inside the Kaizer Chiefs dressing room at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, even after securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Siwelele FC in the Carling Knockout Cup.

While the Glamour Boys celebrated marching into the next round of the cup competition, all eyes in the camp were fixed on young playmaker Mduduzi Shabalala.

The star midfielder was left clutching his head in frustration after squandering a golden opportunity from 12 yards out, leaving fans on the edge of their seats during a chaotic second half.

Rather than tearing into his young asset for the costly error, Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz immediately stepped in to shield Shabalala from public backlash, revealing the exact words of encouragement he offered the player in the immediate aftermath.

"I said [to Mdu] missing a penalty can happen to all the players. It has happened before to the best players in football in the best competitions," Da Cruz stated candidly during the post-match press conference.

The fixture in Polokwane proved to be an absolute rollercoaster for Amakhosi. Chiefs came out flying, creating numerous opportunities before earning the spot-kick that could have put the game completely out of reach.

When Shabalala stepped up to take responsibility, his strike failed to find the back of the net, giving Siwelele FC an unexpected lifeline and setting up a nail-biting finish.

Despite the blip, Da Cruz praised Shabalala’s bravery for stepping up under immense pressure, emphasizing that elite footballers are forged through moments of resilience rather than perfection.

The coach made it clear that one missed penalty will not diminish the team's faith in the gifted midfielder as they pursue silverware on multiple fronts this season.

With the victory safely locked in and a quarterfinal spot booked, Amakhosi supporters are left fiercely debating whether Shabalala should remain the primary penalty taker going forward or hand the responsibility over to a veteran teammate.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Was Fernando Da Cruz right to defend Mdu Shabalala, or should another Kaizer Chiefs player take over penalty duties for the next game? Drop your thoughts in the comment section below.

Source: https://x.com/iDiskiTimes/status/2119756150820278736?a=vYbd6Sx3_bLpsRsXM80&s=19