Pitso Dladla admits Durban City were unable to account for Kaizer Chiefs' surprise inclusions in their narrow Betway Premiership defeat. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Durban City FC interim coach Pitso Dladla has admitted his side were caught off guard by Kaizer Chiefs’ starting line-up during their Betway Premiership clash on Sunday.
Durban City suffered a narrow defeat to the Soweto giants after Glody Lilepo struck the decisive goal, ensuring Chiefs walked away with all three points in a tightly contested encounter. The result handed Amakhosi a timely boost after a difficult run of form that had seen them lose four matches in a row across all competitions heading into the fixture.
Despite that poor run, Dladla believes Chiefs’ recent results did not necessarily reflect their performances and insisted his side had prepared for a difficult encounter. However, the Durban City technical team found themselves surprised by elements of the Chiefs starting XI.
“Honestly, Chiefs have been so unfortunate with injuries and suspensions, so with them you couldn’t predict which line-up they were going to put for today’s game,” said Dladla.
“I think we were surprised with three of the starters. I remember Wandile Duba we did not expect him, Ashley du Preez we did not expect him, and there was another player as well.
“So, for us it was not more about the past results, it was about preparing for this game. I should say the Kaizer Chiefs identity was there. We succumbed to tremendous pressure.”
Chiefs’ intensity eventually told as they forced City onto the back foot for long spells before Lilepo’s strike proved enough to settle the contest. The defeat saw Durban City slip to sixth place on the standings with 32 points from 21 league matches, leaving them still firmly within the race for a top-eight finish but aware that consistency will be key in the final stretch of the campaign.
Dladla’s side now face an important sequence of fixtures that could shape their prospects for the remainder of the season.
City return to action on Sunday when they host Richards Bay FC in a KwaZulu-Natal derby that promises to be fiercely contested.
That encounter will be followed by two demanding assignments against Mamelodi Sundowns and Lamontville Golden Arrows — matches that could ultimately determine whether Durban City remain in the Top 8 conversation.
With several teams tightly packed in the middle of the table, the margin between climbing the standings and slipping out of contention remains slim. For Dladla and his players, the challenge now is to respond quickly and convert competitive performances into points if they are to secure a respectable finish in their return season to the top flight.