Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has defended his decision to substitute Mfundo Vilakazi during their CAF Confederation Cup defeat against Red Arrows, insisting that the change was necessary because the young attacker was tired.

Chiefs suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against the Zambian side in the first leg of the second preliminary round at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday afternoon. The result puts pressure on Amakhosi to produce a better performance in the return leg as they fight to keep their hopes of reaching the next round alive.

Alassane Diarra scored the only goal of the match in the 77th minute, just six minutes after Vilakazi had been substituted. The timing of the goal raised questions about Da Cruz's decision to take off the 20-year-old attacker, but the Chiefs coach rejected suggestions that the substitution was responsible for the defeat.

Da Cruz explained that Vilakazi had shown signs of fatigue and that the technical team wanted to introduce a fresh player who could help the team during the closing stages of the match.

“Mfundo Vilakazi was tired, so we wanted a fresh player,” Da Cruz said after the game.

The French coach also pointed out that Red Arrows scored from a corner kick and argued that the goal should not be linked directly to the substitution. He maintained that several Chiefs players were tired and needed to be replaced to help the team maintain its performance.

“It’s not after the substitution of Vilakazi that our team conceded a goal. It’s just one corner. After the goal we try again to create some chances but it was a little bit difficult,” he said.

Da Cruz believes Chiefs must focus on improving their attacking efficiency if they want to turn the result around in the return leg. The Soweto giants struggled to convert their opportunities into goals in Zambia and ultimately left the match without finding the back of the net.

The coach wants his players to show greater determination when attacking and make better use of the chances they create. He believes a more effective performance in the final third could help Chiefs overcome the first-leg deficit.

“We lacked efficiency, and we just need to put more weight when we attack in the return leg,” Da Cruz explained.

Despite the disappointing result, Da Cruz has encouraged his players to keep working hard and remain focused on the challenge ahead. Chiefs will need to score in the return leg while also preventing Red Arrows from extending their advantage.

“We must work hard and results will turn in our favour,” he added.

Chiefs will now prepare for the return fixture at home, knowing that they must deliver a stronger performance to progress in the CAF Confederation Cup. Da Cruz will hope his team can improve its finishing, maintain its defensive discipline and give supporters a positive result.

Source: IDiskiTimes