Nico Unitedthrough to Top 8 semis

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Thursday November 27, 2014 12:25

Chiefs were 1-0 up in the second leg that ended in the 74th minutes due to power failure at Molepolole Sports Complex, after they had lost 3-0 in the first leg.

The two sides had to play the remaining 16 minutes after their match was abandoned two weeks ago because of power failure at the stadium.

Both sides’ coaches admitted yesterday that it was difficult to prepare for the remaining 16 minutes of the second leg of the encounter.

“It was difficult I must admit. We even had to prepare them mentally because this was a rare moment that happens in football,” Nico United assistant coach, Blue Same said yesterday.

Same was however happy that they progressed to the semi-finals for the first time since the inception of the knockout competition. He said they would work hard going forward.

“We will try and beef up when the transfer window opens in January. We need just one striker because we are currently relying on midfielders for goals,” he said.  Head coach, Kenneth Mogae said their strategy was not to play too much at the back. He said they wanted to catch Chiefs on counterattacks and it nearly worked despite not capitalising on the two chances they had. “I think Chiefs panicked a lot. They tried to play a running game, which they are not used to. They tried to by-pass the midfield and it worked to our advantage,” Mogae said after the game.  Chiefs coach, Mike Sithole was disappointed with what transpired in the second leg of their quarterfinal encounter. He said it was not easy preparing for 16 minutes, but had to do so because it was what the rules dictated.

He added that yesterday’s game was a different atmosphere to the one when the match was abandoned.

“At the time when the match was abandoned, they (Nico United) were tiring and we were pressing them in their own half. But today it was difficult because it was a completely different atmosphere,” he said.

Despite the disappointment, Sithole said they would soldier on in the league and focus on the next edition of the Mascom Top 8. Chiefs have never reached the final of the competition since it started.

The 16 minutes produced no clear-cut chances. Chiefs only came close once when Wilbroad Mutale’s header went narrowly wide from Pontsho Moloi’s corner kick.