Da Cruz Cries Foul Over Chiefs’ Derby Defeat, Says Pirates Had ’12th Man’ And It Was Not Their Fans

Traditionally, in football when someone refers to a 12th man for a team, it means their fans pushed them.

But Fernando Da Cruz has given a new meaning to the term. The Amakhosi coach has accused referee Luxolo Badi of being Pirates’ 12th man, and helping them along on the day.

Kaizer Chiefs suffered their first Betway Premiership defeat of the season at FNB Stadium on Saturday, losing 2-1 to goals from Yanela Mbuthuma and Tshepang Moremi. Pule Mmodi scored Chiefs’ goal. Afterwards, the Chiefs coach made his anger clear.

“Pirates play as 12 and not 11,” the Frenchman said.

Da Cruz said the opening goal should not have counted, and that a Pirates player escaped a red card.

“The first goal is offside, and then a player of Pirates deserves a second yellow, meaning red card. And then we play 11 vs 10 and not 11 vs 11.”

The coach did not blame the referee alone. He felt Chiefs should have killed the game in the first half, and admitted his players ran out of steam.

“In the second half we were less dangerous in our game. To finish the last 20 minutes we were tired.

“Maybe we concede two or three more goals, but it’s not chances Pirates created but because we are tired and lack of experience we give them opportunity to kill the game in transition.”

The defeat leaves Chiefs fifth on 14 points from nine games, 11 behind their Soweto rivals. The unbeaten league record is gone, and with it some of the breathing room Da Cruz had been given.

https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2116837846682042565

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