Kaizer Chiefs striker Ranga Chivaviro has expressed his disappointment at
the team’s elimination from the MTN8 semi-finals, saying the manner in
which it happened still hurts. Amakhosi were knocked out by Mamelodi
Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate, after a 2-1 loss in the second leg.
The Glamour Boys were controversially denied a penalty in added time after
Mduduzi Mdantsane was kicked in the box by the Brazilians’ Thapelo Maseko.
Replays and TV review shows from refereeing experts confirmed that
Amakhosi should have been awarded a penalty and had they scored it, they
would have advanced to the final on away goals.
Chivaviro said it still hurts them that the penalty was not awarded, as it
would have given them a chance to fight for the cup in the final and give
something back to the supporters. “To be honest it’s painful, it’s still
painful even now but the reality is we have to move on, it’s a human
error, there’s nothing we can do about it,” Chivaviro said in a press
conference this week.
“If there was anything, we would go back and rectify the mistake but we
cannot, so we just have to be professionals and move on but the bottom
line is it’s painful, we’re hurt. Obviously, we wanted to give the
supporters something back, the club as well, a chance to win a cup but
unfortunately it wasn’t to be, so we move on,” he said.
The Limpopo-born striker took some time to settle after a couple of
injuries in his first few seasons at the club and went on to express the
pressure of playing for Chiefs compared to other teams, after he was
signed from Marumo Gallants, who were relegated from the DStv Premiership
last season.
“The biggest pressure of being here is that there’s no day off, you’re
expected to perform, each and every chance you get to wear the jersey, not
only from yourself, the teammates but also from supporters,” he continued.
“So I think that’s the difference between Kaizer Chiefs and other teams,
every time you get a chance you need to perform and you’re expected to
perform and when you don’t do that obviously there’s a lot of scrutiny
that goes around. That’s the biggest pressure we face as players,” he
added.
Amakhosi will return to league action when they host Cape Town City on
Tuesday evening at FNB Stadium.
