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Baxter happy Chiefs can ‘keep hunting’ after Chippa win
'Every game (from here on) will be the same - it will be cup finals,' said the Chiefs head coach.
Stuart Baxter hopes his side can push on after beating Chippa. Picture: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix.
Stuart Baxter was so inspired by his team’s performance in their 3-1 beating of Chippa United on Saturday night that he now thinks they can still make something of their DStv Premiership season.
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To think Chiefs can still overtake Mamelodi Sundowns and take the title could be stretching it. But if they can keep getting results like that, they can certainly keep a close look on Sundowns in case they trip up. They could certainly grab second place and a spot in next season’s Caf Champions League.
Amakhosi had come off an uninspiring defeat to Golden Arrows that dimmed their already’slim title hopes, but managed to pull on brave faces and get going again against a determined Chippa side.
“I was a really tough game mentally for the players because it is one of those games where we know if we don’t win tonight then we are not serious about the rest of the season,” said Baxter after the game.
“Now we can go into the rest of the season, and keep hunting. It was important in that, and every game (from here on) will be the same – it will be cup finals.
“I was happy with technical and tactical parts in 70 minutes of the 90. We had periods in the first and second halves where we didn’t commit, we panicked a little bit and took our foot off the accelerator in terms of focus, in terms of doing the right things.
“When we were doing the right things we were playing some very good football.
“I think the result is a fair result, I think there could have been one more. They could have popped one (more) in as well, they hit the post.”
Baxter made changes that worked like magic with both Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander coming off the bench and scoring.
“We made changes at the right times… Cole came on and he was sharp, Keagan was sharp and that’s what we needed. We needed to change the balance of the team a little bit, to calm them and get some edge.
“I am delighted with the three points and it means we can now kick on with a little more optimism.”
