Chippa United head coach Brandon Truter praised his team’s tactical discipline against Siwelele FC in their Betway Premiership clash on Tuesday night, though the final result left him unsatisfied.
Having battled to a 1-1 draw on Siwelele’s turf, the Gqeberha side headed back from Bloemfontein with a hard-earned point.
Azola Matrose of Chippa put his team ahead early in the second half, but Yandisa Mfolozi’s goal in the 75th minute allowed Siwelele to tie the score.
The draw follows the Chilli Boys’ 3-0 loss to the league’s reigning champions, Orlando Pirates, their first defeat of the new season, and after playing four games, Chippa have yet to win.
Truter feels that the football gods were not on their side and that his team lost Tuesday night’s chance to win for the first time this season due to a lack of focus in the latter part of the second half.
Chippa are 12th on the log with three points.
“We dominated the game and executed the game plan well,” Truter said.
“The structure was good, and our adaptation was good.
“In the first half, I think we defended whatever they threw at us in their transitions very well.
“We controlled the first half, but obviously as the game progressed in the second half, we surrendered a bit of ball position and dropped a bit deeper after the goal, and then we suffered a bit.
“They managed to score in that period when they took control.
“It was late in the game, but overall it’s not the result that we wanted.
“We were aiming for the three points. It was in sight. It was there for us.
“I just think that a lapse in concentration in defence cost us the three points, but it’s a team effort.
“We should have done better with that cross coming in, we should have defended the ball better.
“We are a bit disappointed; we can feel it in the team that two points were dropped instead of the one point gained.
“We have to get this result behind us and look forward to playing at home and playing in front of our home supporters in our home province.”
Despite the setback, Truter strongly believes his team is getting closer to ending their league losing streak and that things will turn around when they play recently promoted Milford in their upcoming league match.
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