Remorseful Ben Youssef slams wasteful Chiefs as he issues Soweto Derby rallying call

Kaizer Chiefs coach Khalil Ben Youssef has called on his team to take responsibility and apologise to the supporters following their second league defeat of the season.

Chiefs were stunned by Stellenbosch at FNB Stadium in a match they initially controlled. After a dominant first half that saw them take a 1-0 lead, they failed to convert numerous clear-cut chances that could have put the game out of reach.

However, Flavio Silva’s opening goal was cancelled out by Langelihle Phili before a late stunner from Devin Titus secured a dramatic comeback victory for the visitors. The result deals a significant blow to Chiefs‘ already slim title aspirations, especially as Mamelodi Sundowns climbed to the top of the table with a 1-0 victory over AmaZulu.

Ben Youssef critical of missed chances

“We dominated the first half and we didn’t kill the game,” Ben Youssef told SuperSport TV. “We started like that in the second half and conceded in the first five minutes. I think we have to take our responsibility sometimes, see our mistakes, and make the right analysis.”

The coach stressed the need for accountability after the disappointing loss.

“We have to take responsibility for this loss—we have to say sorry to the fans,” he stated. “We now have three days to prepare for the next game, not much time to discuss this one, but yeah, same mistakes.”

Chiefs coach sends Soweto Derby message

Ben Youssef expressed his frustration with his team’s wastefulness in front of goal. “When you score the first goal of the game, you have to kill it. You have to finish the six or seven opportunities from the first half. We missed all of them, even an empty goal. What can we do?”

The loss leaves Chiefs trailing as Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are now level on 38 points. The timing is critical, as Chiefs are set to face the Buccaneers in the highly anticipated Soweto Derby at the FNB Stadium this Saturday.

“We have to take care of the players, their mentality, and keep them up,” he continued. “That’s football; there’s a win or a loss. When you win, you don’t have to have too much joy, and when you lose, you don’t have to be too sad. You just continue to work hard.”

“In a few days, it’s the derby—we have to start thinking of that now and continue to work towards it.”