Da Cruz blames missed chances and Pirates' '12th man' role for Chiefs' derby loss

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando da Cruz blamed two main factors for his team's 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby on Saturday. The first factor, according to da Cruz, was referee Luxolo Badi's officiating, which he claimed was unfair. The Portuguese official's decisions saw a goal ruled offside and another player given a second yellow card, eventually leading to a red card.

This effectively left Chiefs playing with 11 players against Pirates' 12. Da Cruz also pointed to his own team's shortcomings, highlighting their lack of efficiency and the fact that they should have led 2-0 or 3-0 in the first half. The Frenchman admitted that while his team controlled the first half, they became less dangerous in the second half and finished the match tired.

Despite admitting to the team's weaknesses, da Cruz expressed some satisfaction with the overall performance. The result extended Chiefs' winless league streak against Pirates to seven matches, and their current winless run in the league to four consecutive games. The result puts pressure on da Cruz, who had recently led Chiefs to a 3-0 knockout cup win over TS Galaxy.

The coach now faces a difficult task as Chiefs will need a swift response in their Carling Knockout quarter-final against Siwelele next weekend, as further domestic slip-ups could jeopardize their season.