Ben Youssef laments Chiefs’ lack of clinical finishing

Kaizer Chiefs’ ongoing problem with poor finishing has once again cost them, leaving assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef frustrated after a 1-1 draw with Marumo Gallants in the Betway Premiership.

The Soweto giants squandered numerous opportunities at FNB Stadium on Wednesday, dropping two crucial points.

Khanyisa Mayo’s debut goal had seemingly put Chiefs on track for victory, but Jaisen Clifford’s late strike for Gallants—coupled with a missed penalty from Chiefs’ Gaston Sirino—denied Amakhosi all three points.

“Congratulations to the players; they performed well tonight, but the result was not good. Regarding what we did over 90 minutes, I think we deserved to win this game,” a disappointed Ben Youssef said. “We were in control all 90 minutes; they didn’t have any situation to score. Their only opportunity was a shot from outside the box, and he [Jaisen Clifford] was lucky.”

“We were prepared, and the plan for this game was clear for the players, but football is a funny game. We scored and had an opportunity to go 2-0 up before halftime [Gaston Sirino’s missed penalty] to make things easier for us, but we couldn’t, and I feel Gallants were lucky to score.

The Same Old Problem for Kaizer Chiefs, Says Ben Youssef

The assistant coach highlighted a recurring weakness that has plagued Chiefs’ title bids for years. “If you don’t score, you’re always at risk that you will concede a goal,” he noted, citing how Chiefs failed to capitalise on chances in the first half and in the final minutes of the game.

The result marks a significant dip in form for Chiefs, who had started the season with an impressive five-game unbeaten streak. Despite boasting eight forwards in their squad, the team’s attacking struggles have become a familiar, and frustrating, sight.

The focus now shifts to the CAF Confederation Cup. Chiefs will host Kabuscorp on Saturday in the second leg, needing to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Luanda. Ben Youssef acknowledged the importance of the upcoming match, concluding, “I’m sorry for the fans today, and we hope we will make them happy on Saturday.”