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Kaizer Chiefs’ Ngezana defends Amakhosi's error-prone defence: 'Football is the game of mistakes'

Michael Madyira
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Siyabonga Ngezana of Kaizer Chiefs.
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Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana has seemingly played down some of the mistakes made by their vulnerable defence.
  • Chiefs defence has been one of their weakest links
  • This has seen Zwane signing Ditlhokwe on a pre-contract
  • Ngezana comments on their apparant shortcomings

WHAT HAPPENED? Chiefs have been struggling at the back this season, conceding 24 goals in 21 Premier Soccer League matches. Their defenders have made some costly errors, especially this year, notably in the 4-0 defeat by AmaZulu, the 1-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns, and the 3-2 defeat by Golden Arrows.

At the end of January, coach Arthur Zwane dropped Zitha Kwinika against Royal AM due to errors and started playing Ngezana.

When Edmilson Dove was down with flu and could not feature against Arrows, Austin Dube stepped in for him and Chiefs struggled at the back.

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WHAT NGEZANA SAID: “Everyone makes mistakes,” said Ngezana as per iDiski Times. “What I like about coach Zwane is that he tells me that football is the game of mistakes. If you don’t make mistakes, it means you are not a human being.

“And that’s how you grow from mistakes, not to repeat the same mistakes that you did. And you are saying, you think you are done making mistakes, you are still going to make mistakes again.

“It’s life in general. I have overcome some situations through inspiration from the coach and the players. As players, as professionals, we are also human beings, so it is good when we make mistakes. Not everything will go smoothly in your life.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chiefs’ struggles at the back could be lack of depth. Injuries to Reeve Frosler and Dillan Solomons have seen Ngezana and Kwinika being rotated as right-backs. The selection of Dube against Arrows was a desperate decision by Zwane who also had Erick Mathoho out injured.

In trying to fix things at the back, Zwane secured SuperSport United defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe on a pre-contract. The Botswana captain will officially join Amakhosi in July.

WHAT NEXT FOR NGEZANA? As Chiefs visit Richards Bay on Saturday, Ngezana is almost sure to start in the absence of Solomons, Frosler and Mathoho.

Ngezana would be hoping to help the Soweto giants to another clean sheet as they did against Orlando Pirates last weekend.

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