Randburg AFC’s U17 Gauteng Development League side put up a spirited fight against Kaizer Chiefs at the Randburg Sports Complex, but could not avoid defeat after conceding a late goal that decided the match.

Randburg matched Kaizer Chiefs for most of the game, looking well organised at the back, but a strike from Thato Dhlamini deep into the closing stages proved to be the difference, sending Kaizer Chiefs home with the win.

Read more: Kaizer Chiefs sink Randburg AFC late on

Randburg AFC coach Fiss Kutuka said he was proud of how his players approached the match, even though the result did not go their way. “I think we tried. We did good, they did good, they gave their best, especially in the middle defence. We just missed our opportunity to kill the game.”

Also read: Randburg AFC demolish East Rand in GDL

The coach admitted that his side had chances to put the match beyond doubt earlier on, but were unable to convert their dominance into goals. Those missed opportunities came back to haunt them when Chiefs found the breakthrough late on.

Conceding so close to full time, after his players had worked hard for the whole match, was a bitter blow for Kutuka. “It’s very disappointing, but it’s a game, we made a mistake. I think we have to keep our head up and go again. They tried and were unlucky for that moment.”

Kutuka was quick to point out that the result should not overshadow the effort his young players put in over the course of the match. He said the team would need to dust themselves off quickly, with another fixture already on the horizon. When asked what message he had given his players after the final whistle, Kutuka said his focus was on keeping spirits high and using the defeat as a learning opportunity. “I told them to really concentrate for the next coming game. The past is gone, we made a mistake, we learned from it. I think we have to go push for the next game and try to fix it and get points.”

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!