Red Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe believes his team should have scored at least three goals against Kaizer Chiefs in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary-round tie.
The Zambian side secured a 1-0 victory over Amakhosi on Saturday afternoon, with Alassane Diarra scoring in the 77th minute to give the hosts an advantage heading into the return leg.
Mbewe, though, feels Red Arrows could have put themselves in a much stronger position had they converted more of the opportunities they created.
Kaizer Chiefs will now need to win by at least two clear goals in the second leg at FNB Stadium to overturn the deficit and secure qualification for the next stage.
Red Arrows edge out Chiefs
Speaking after the match, Mbewe revealed that his team had specifically prepared for the challenge posed by Amakhosi, taking into account the South African giants’ experience in continental competition.
“Coming into this game, we knew it was not going to be an easy encounter, considering the experience and maturity Kaizer Chiefs have in this competition. We planned for them,” the Red Arrows coach told the club’s media team.
“I am happy with the way the boys fought and approached the game. Despite missing several chances, they showed great commitment and created numerous opportunities.”
Red Arrows wanted three goals against Chiefs
Mbewe admitted that Red Arrows had targeted a more convincing victory, believing three goals would have put them in a commanding position ahead of the trip to South Africa.
Despite creating several opportunities, the Zambian outfit managed to find the back of the net only once, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg.
“Sometimes, that is the nature of football. You can create so many chances and end up scoring just one goal,” Mbewe said.
“Our target was to score three goals in this game and you could see by the chances we created.”
The Red Arrows coach also warned his players against becoming complacent, insisting that the job is far from finished despite their first-leg advantage.
“I think the message to the players is loud and clear. We played the first half of the game. We need very strong mental strength when we travel to South Africa, we don’t need to be complacent,” he added.
Red Arrows will travel to Johannesburg for the decisive second leg at FNB Stadium, where Kaizer Chiefs will look to overturn the 1-0 deficit and keep their hopes of reaching the CAF Confederation Cup group stages alive.