Kaizer Chiefs coach reveals reason behind Khanyisa Mayo’s different role against Chippa

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef has explained why striker Khanyisa Mayo played in a different position during their goalless draw with Chippa United on Wednesday.

Mayo came on as a second-half substitute, being introduced in the 61^st minute, alongside Mduduzi Shabalala, but instead of taking a central position, he operated from the right wing.

The forward created a number of chances for his teammates in the match that Chiefs wasted opportunities to miss out on a chance to close the gap with leaders Orlando Pirates to three points.

Ben Youssef has now opened up about the tactical demands on Mayo that made him play in an unfamiliar role.

Mayo’s unfamiliar role explained

“The plan of the game when we made the substitution was for Khanyisa Mayo to be the second striker,” said the Tunisian coach as per iDiski Times.

“It was Silva and him as second striker, Vilakazi on the left side and Shabalala on the right side.

“Then we give them the freedom. Sometimes it is the situation in the game, you can change. Because when he started as a playmaker he didn’t receive a lot of balls.

“Then he went to the right, a permutation between him and Shabalala, he wanted to be right side and he gave us a lot of solutions on the right side with crosses.

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“When he was on the right side, the combination with him and Shabalala create an opportunity also for scoring. It was for Shabalala and the chip cut-back, when he crossed for [Etiosa] Ighodaro, he was unlucky [not] to score.

“The position of Mayo on the right side, and playmaker gave us a lot of solutions.”

However, the Chiefs technical bench did not get the result they were looking for, the draw leaving them five points behind Pirates on the log, although they have a chance to move within two of the Buccaneers if they beat TS Galaxy on Sunday.