Nabi reveals half-time message that inspired Chiefs’ win

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has revealed the message he gave his players at half-time that helped secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Golden Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in the league on Saturday night.

The win, which once again required key contributions from the bench, came after a frustrating first half where Chiefs struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.

But Nabi was the first to admit  that Arrows are always a difficult opponent, stating they knew it would be a tough match given their past struggles against the KZN side.

“We knew it was not going to be easy to beat Arrows,” said Nabi. “Our last five games against them were always tough for us and the Sundowns game on Wednesday as well was mentally tough for the players and phyically it was a strong game. But I believe we did well in this game against Arrows.

“I think in this game, we created enough opportunities to score and we were unlucky as we didnt score more. At halftime we discussed with the players how to remain confident, continue to play and believe that we will score and we did. We tried to keep them calm.

“I think in the first half we didn’t create too many opportunities to score. I observed that the mood was a bit down in the dressing room, and I told them not to worry. I demanded more focus, more passion, and told them to improve their game, and they would score.”

Nabi also acknowledged that his players looked tired at the start of the second half, a normal consequence of their recent match against Mamelodi Sundowns. However, he credited the three substitutions for changing the game.

“The three substitutes gave the team more,” he said. “It was a very difficult game, and I’m very happy for all the staff and for the three points.”

The victory keeps Chiefs in second place, level on points with log leaders Sekhukhune United. The team also remains the only side in the league yet to concede a goal this season.

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