Kwinika says Chiefs have no issues with set-piece situations

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 10:46:00 GMT

Kaizer Chiefs defender Zitha Kwinika said there was no truth to speculation doing the rounds that the team’s defence struggled to deal with set-piece situations, ahead Saturday’s Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium.

Chiefs have looked a bit suspect in defence of late by conceding 15 goals in 12 matches with a lot of those goals being scored through set-pieces.

The most recent was when Bernard Parker scored for TS Galaxy in the 2-2 draw with Chiefs via a set-piece on Wednesday.

But speaking to media on Thursday, the 28-year-old Kwinika said there was no way Chiefs was vulnerable to dead-ball scenarios, any more than other sides.

“We do [emphasise defending set-pieces] but we can also give credit to the other teams. In this league, people plan and they can see how you set up and come with ways to make it work for them,” Kwinika told media.

“So, it’s trying to… Sometimes we are maybe just late in that situation, like in the previous game against TS Galaxy where they came in between our zonal players.

“So, what I am trying to say is that other teams plan on how we defend, so it’s understanding that moment and trying to rectify it before it becomes a big thing or we concede a goal.

“I don’t want to say we are vulnerable; football is just like that. TS Galaxy had one chance and they scored. You can’t be vulnerable in that because it’s not like they scored six goals from set-piece.

“Then I could stand here and say yes, but it happened in that moment where Bernard (Parker) got that ball and they scored,” Kwinika added