Kaizer Chiefs have egg on their face over Faiz Abrahams error

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Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowSihle NdebeleSports journalist

Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowEnter fullscreen mode displaying this image.ExpandMduduzi Shabalala of Kaizer Chiefs shields the ball from marker Kazeem Adeyanju of Stellenbosch FC in their Betway Premiership draw at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Picture: Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard was left battling to explain the late withdrawal of winger Faiz Abrahams from their starting XI in Amakhosi’s 1-1 Betway Premiership draw against Stellenbosch FC at FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.

Chiefs avoided a default of their loan agreement after almost fielding Abrahams, who was named in the starting XI on the team sheet but hastily replaced just before kickoff by Mduduzi Shabalala.

Chiefs have still been left with egg on their face as it has transpired Abrahams’ loan agreement with Stellies restricts the 21-year-old junior international from being fielded against his parent club.

Sheppard admitted Chiefs had prepared for the game during the week with Abrahams in the shadow starting XI. It appears Amakhosi did not pick up the situation of the player being barred from being fielded in the game until about an hour before kickoff.

Dillon Sheppard on why Faiz Abrahams was initially named in Kaizer Chiefs’ line-up but did not feature against Stellenbosch. 👀 ✌️ pic.twitter.com/MxaW31BjdH

“I don’t want to comment too much about it. I don’t really know too much leading up to it,” Sheppard said in the post-match press conference, asked why Abrahams had been replaced in the starting line-up.

“Obviously we had prepared the game with him and there were some issues and he couldn’t start.”

Shabalala went on to score the 58th-minute equaliser for Amakhosi to Sinoxolo Kwayiba’s 48th-minute opener for Stellenbosch as Chiefs were held to a home draw, their fifth stalemate in eight matches (with three wins) leaving the Soweto giants in fourth place in the Premiership.

Sheppard explained he attended the post-match briefing because French coach Fernando da Cruz had taken ill at the end of the game.

🎥 | WHAT A STRIKE, MDU! 🔥⚽Take another look at Mduduzi Shabalala's sensational equaliser!The technique, the execution, the finish! Absolutely brilliant from the Amakhosi youngster to bring Chiefs back into the contest! 😮‍💨✌️#KaizerChiefs #MduduziShabalala #BetwayPrem…

“He was vomiting, is with the doctors and they are checking on him,” Sheppard said.

The assistant coach was left to defend a starting XI that had six natural defenders deployed across the field — Thabiso Monyane, Inacio Miguel, Thabo Moloisane and Bradley Cross in the back four, traditional right-back Reeve Frosler in central midfield and traditional left-back Paseko Mako on the wing.

“The system is just there as a starting system, but in the game all players have responsibilities to occupy different positions at certain times.

“We can say it’s defensive, but it’s going to be attacking when your wingbacks are nice and high and you are on a 3-2-5 and it becomes an attacking system.”

In the preseason we worked with Reeve in the midfield and he’s played that position before.

Sheppard revealed the absence of three injured midfielders — Lebohang Maboe, Siphesihle Ndlovu and Adolf Mtansangiwa — forced Chiefs to set up the way they did.

“Young Thulani [Mabaso, a promising attacking midfielder] has just come back from a long-term injury, so to throw him into a game where we’ve just come off a Fifa break would have been unfair on him.

“We had to find alternatives. In the preseason we worked with Reeve in the midfield and he’s played that position before. And with the three weeks we had and prepared with him, he did really well, so that was the reason behind that.”

After three successive draws, Chiefs hope to return to winning ways when they face Zambian side Red Arrows in the first leg of their Caf Confederation Cup second preliminary round tie at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday (3pm).

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