Dylan Bettencourt
Despite their poor start to the season, Kaizer Chiefs’ 4-1 loss at the hands of newcomers Royal AM comes as one of the most humiliating results South African football has seen.
Stuart Baxter and his team have one win in their first four fixtures in the DStv Premiership.
Losing against a team which controversially purchased their status in the league will come as a major wound for fans of the Soweto giants.
A brace from Sepana Letsoalo, a goal from Mfundo Thikazi and an own goal from Sibusiso Mabiliso was enough for Royal AM to seal Chiefs’ defeat at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.
“It is not good enough and it is embarrassing, and I apologise to the supporters,” coach Baxter told SuperSport after the match.
The former Bafana Bafana manager continued to say that despite his side creating good chances, the naivety of his players meant they never looked like getting back into the game.
Chiefs have been on a barren spell of late with fans of the club organising a protest earlier this year to voice their frustrations with the direction the club was heading in.
Their demands seem to have been answered with several changes happening within the club, but this loss will prove to be a major hit to the club’s confidence.
Baxter pinned some blame on himself for the loss: “In terms of tactical changes we lost our balance, maybe I should take the responsibility for that, but I think, you know our players are good enough to be able to react to that. But the way we reacted, with the naivety, wasn’t great.”
It is early days in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) but the Soweto giants could find themselves in for another dismal season if they do not improve drastically in the coming weeks.
Chiefs currently find themselves sitting in 12th with only four points and if results below them do not work in their favour, they could find themselves as low as 15th by the end of the match week.
Image source: @KaizerChiefs
