Kerr Criticises Wasteful Chivaviro After Yanga Defeat

Marumo Gallants incumbent coach Dylan Kerr has criticised striker Ranga Chivaviro for wasting several good chances in their 2-0 defeat to Young Africans in the CAF Confederations Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday. 

Marumo Gallants played without fear at hostile Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salam, where they faced Tanzanian champions Young Africans Sports Club. Gallants created tons of opportunities but failed to take them before Yanga scored two late goals, which left Kerr frustrated ahead of the second leg at Royal Bafokeng Stadium. 

The Malta-born coach didn’t hold back in the post-match press conference, insisting they should’ve scored at least two goals and that he expected more, especially from Chivaviro who is chasing the golden boot in the competition.

“The finishing is what counts in football. Unfortunately when we had good chance and I mean unopposed chances, and we don’t take those chances, the you’re always going to be under pressure from Yanga, especially the supporters, who lift the team, it’s amazing,” Kerr told the media in Tanzania.

“They get the ball from a breakaway and scored the first goal. And 1-0 is ok, it’s manageable, we kept going, we kept trying until we concede the second. The second is basically football suicide. We cannot leave just one player at the back and send everybody up, especially in the last minute of the game.

“But I can’t fault the players for their energy, sometimes the football we played was fantastic. But once again… it happened in the Pyramids match in Egypt, we had four good chances to score and we only scored one goal, today we didn’t score any from people who are on form, from people who are trying to get golden boot in CAF Confederations Cup. They’ve got to do better.

“I can’t fault the players for their effort and energy, but what I can fault them for is what we do time and time again in South African football, we don’t have this quality striker that finish, that can get 20, 25 goals. How many goals does [Erling] Haaland have? We can’t compare, but that’s what a striker got to aim for.”

Bahlabane Ba Ntwaa will face Yanga in the second leg of CAFCC on 17 May, and they will have to overcome their 2-0 deficit, if they want to make it to their first ever continental final.