Chippa United coach Ernst Middendorp was full of praise for his goalkeeper, Mbongeni Mzimela, despite his side’s 2-0 loss to Orlando Pirates in a league match on Tuesday night.
“I think the result in the end, which was only 2-0, was because of a good goalkeeping performance from our side – he (Mzimela) had a lot of critics in the past, but he did very well tonight,” said Middendorp.
“We had only some players part of the game and a lot of players not.
“If you have 1-0 or 2-0 very quickly then you run behind the opponent who will have a good ball possession rate and then it gets even more difficult.”
The loss sees Chippa with 24 points from 22 games in 11th place on the table, but if results in PSL matches on Wednesday night don’t go their way they could find themselves only place outside of the relegation zone.
With that in mind Middendorp has urged his charges to remain focussed and pick up points against teams also struggling in the league.
“We have to remain concentrated now with two games at home against AmaZulu and Swallows – this is the type of games where we have to get our points,” added Middendorp.
“Today (against Pirates) it would have been a bonus, but they tried and in the end it didn’t it work.”
Chippa’s next three league games see them play AmaZulu at home on Friday, followed by Mamelodi Sundowns away and then Moroka Swallows at home.