Nedbank Cup

Benni: Chiefs can go all the way in Nedbank Cup

You are currently viewing Benni: Chiefs can go all the way in Nedbank Cup
  • Post published:April 1, 2019

Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy believes that Kaizer Chiefs can go on to win the Nedbank Cup after the Soweto giants cruised past the Citizens in their quarter-final clash on Sunday.

Amakhosi ran out 2-0 winners at the Mbombela Stadium, thanks to goals from Hendrick Ekstein and Dumisani Zuma in a game where McCarthy’s men struggled to come to the party.

Speaking to SuperSport TV after the game, the 2018-19 MTN8 winning coach admitted that his side struggled to deal with the magnitude of the match, and that Chiefs have a side capable of going the whole way.

‘It was a great spectacle overall. Chiefs thoroughly deserved it, from start to finish they showed more desire than us,’ said the former Bafana Bafana striker.

‘The moment [occasion] got the better of us; full stadium, Chiefs’ support like we want to see. The desire they had, they were first to every ball. For our boys it’s a lesson learned that if you want to be Champions, win the Nedbank Cup, the league, that’s the kind of performances you got to put in,’ he continued.

‘The desire has to be there in every game, not only when it suits us. Today we were well beaten by a better team. No excuses, I can’t talk tactics because they got it spot on. We lacked something today.

‘When we talk about ”BMT”, big match temperament, sometimes [you] don’t let the occasion play you, you play the occasion. You’re on the pitch, you have to be a little bit more keep the composure, be calm. I spoke about this the whole time, because I know if you play for Chiefs, you should be used to this [big crowds].

‘So we lacked that and it showed on the pitch, we lost the ball too easy, some players were hiding. We didn’t play our normal game. First half was not the team that I’m coaching. There was no buildup, everything was slow. That said, I can’t take away the desire from Chiefs. They played like a team that had everything to lose.

‘They deserve it and I wish them well in the next round. They play like this, [they] will cause problems, they look like they will win the tournament. Good luck to them,’ he concluded.