Da Cruz slammed over Dortley blunder in Soweto derby – ‘Where is the continuity?’

Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has blamed coach Fernando da Cruz for his team’s 2-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby.

Chiefs lost the big game with goals from Yanela Mbuthuma and Tshepang Moremi completing the job for Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men either side of Pule Mmodi’s strike.

Da Cruz’s charges bossed the first half but failed to utilise their chances before Pirates upped the game to win the bitter contest in the second 45 minutes.

However, Khanye has trained his guns on Da Cruz, who he blames for abandoning a working defensive setup by leaving out Rushwin Dortley and going with Thabo Moloisane and Inacio Miguel at centre-back.

Khanye questions Dortley omission

Dortley, who returned for last Tuesday’s Carling Knockout Round of 16 match against TS Galaxy, after one-and-half years out due to an injury, partnered Moloisane as Chiefs won 3-0 and Khanye wonders why Da Cruz did not trust that backline in the derby.

“The Chiefs coach made a blunder. I don’t understand why he’s putting Dortley outside,” Khanye said on iDiski TV.

“Where’s the continuity as a team? Starting with the coach as a leader? These guys they never conceded [against Galaxy]. If that game had ended 4-1, 3-2, 3-1, you could understand they conceded. Now, solid performance. Leave two of them – Moloisane and Dortley so you can see what they can give you [as a coach],” he advised.

Da Cruz to blame for Soweto derby loss?

Khanye feels he was vindicated when Miguel was sent off for a second bookable offence in the dying minutes of the game.

“Now, you start with Miguel, worse is he got a red card in [Saturday’s] game. He’s more of a sweeper but is always late which doesn’t make sense for me,” Khanye further stated.

Defeat to Pirates was Chiefs’ first loss of the season in the league ad left them 11 points behind the Buccaneers and 12 adrift of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.