For the second time in a week, the two Soweto giants faced off. Would Orlando Pirates be able to impose their famed game model to take victory or would Kaizer Chiefs’ aerial dominance see them increase their lead at the top of the log?
Goal analyses the tactical battle which unfolded.
Makeshift defence vs Two target men
From the start of the game, Kaizer Chiefs were able to use their significant aerial advantage in attack to take a two-goal lead. First, a long throw caused confusion for Pirates’ makeshift defence – missing suspended Happy Jele and therefore moving Innocent Maela to centre-back – and Chiefs were in front courtesy of an own goal.
Later, Leonardo Castro had a free header from a corner and then Samir Nurkovic tested Wayne Sandilands after he won a diagonal at the back post against Abel Mabaso from Frosler’s deep delivery. In Chiefs’ 4-4-2 diamond shape, the latter was crucial in getting forward from right-back, both for his long-throws and his crossing.
Qualitative superiority and 2-0
Pirates coach Rhulani Mokwena would likely use the football tactics jargon term “qualitative superiority” for Chiefs advantage in the air over them. It can more simply be described as a mismatch.
With Chiefs possessing five massive aerial threats on set-plays and Pirates arguably only having one or two strong aerial players at best, their setup for defending corners was their standard mix of zonal and man-marking.
Bucs’ three best headers of the ball in Nyauza, Maela and Makaringe were stationed zonally inside the small box, with their next five aerially-strong players looking to mark Chiefs’ five giants. They were not expected to necessarily win headers against them, but instead to challenge enough to prevent any power or direction on a header. Anything going into the small box was expected to be handled by the three tallest players and the goalkeeper.
The problem is that when facing in-swinging delivery, the three defending zonally are taken out of the game. For this corner, the mismatch was stark as Chiefs had both centre backs, Willard Katsande, Nurkovic and Castro all towering over their markers. The latter got away from Xola Mlambo and powered home the second goal.
Pirates invert, Chiefs retreat
From that second goal onwards, Pirates completely seized control of the game. They had already started to create dangerous one versus one situations on the flanks, as well as constantly creating imbalances in Chiefs’ defence.
Mokwena’s men had started in a vague 4-3-3 shape having made two changes in attacking areas from the first Soweto derby – dropping Tshegofatso Mabasa for the more mobile Gabadinho Mhango and adding Xola Mlambo to midfield in place of Kabelo Dlamini.
However, the alteration which had a big hand in turning the game was the usage of Mako. Instead of playing as an overlapping full-back, he played as an inverted full-back when Pirates had the ball. This is something done to great effect by Pep Guardiola’s sides, particularly at Bayern Munich when David Alaba fulfilled the same role as Mako.
His position in the left half-space had two effects: firstly, it turned Pirates into having effectively four central midfielders against Chiefs’ diamond, giving complete control of midfield to Mokwena’s men. This was even more the case as Mlambo paid close attention to stopping George Maluleka from playing.
The second effect was that it left a constant one-versus-one on Chiefs’ right flank for Gabadinho Mhango or Vincent Pule, with pair alternating at hugging the left touchline, with Thembinkosi Lorch used very high up and centrally with no defensive responsibilities.
As Frosler found himself drawn out of position constantly and with no protection, so Mathoho had to move out to defend in the channel; his biggest weakness. Mhango beat him on the outside and crossed for Lorch to head against the post.
Pirates introduced Mabasa up front for Makaringe just before the hour mark, thereby allowing Lorch to drop deeper. Immediately, he received deep and found Pule running in-behind Yagan Sasman and hit the woodwork.
One minute later, Mhango received from Mako – often the man free in midfield – took the ball inside Frosler and fired into the top corner. Pirates drawing level had been completely deserved, with Chiefs being exposed wide, in the box and between-the-lines. They had no answer.
Middendorp acts just in time
After that 2-2 goal, Ernst Middendorp finally made a change. So often the PSL’s most proactive coach in altering his side to good effect to turn the tide of a match, he had waited too long to stop the equaliser, but just in time to stop Pirates running away with the game.
Chiefs’ coach had taken off Castro at the break for fitness reasons and introduced Dumisani Zuma, but had used him on the left instead of as a mobile number ten, where he has impressed this season.
His second change was to remove Maluleka, who had his least influential game of the season, both on and off the ball. On came Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya at right-back. This was a clever change as it put a left-footer against the right-footed Mhango on that flank, allowing him to cover the inside when the latter cut in-field.
This saw Frosler move into the midfield. The 21-year-old had been exposed defensively amid no protection in front of him, whilst the move by Pirates to always have one of Pule or Mhango high and wide on the left also kept Frosler in his own half, therefore limiting the service from wide to Nurkovic.
However, after recent injuries, Frosler did not last long in a midfield role and Bernard Parker came on. This saw a 4-1-3-2 shape with Khama Billiat up front. Chiefs’ star player had been a complete non-entity in the match – he struggled to find any time and space against Ben Motshwari, had no one to link up with, and rarely received the ball in space because of Pirates nullifying Maluleka.
Parker, however, made a big difference. When Chiefs were defending, he dropped right into the defensive line to make it a back five, but then charged forward to join attacks. His run off the back of Mako saw the Pirates man go to ground and give away a penalty. Contact was fairly minimal but the change had worked.
Mathoho red
With around six minutes of additional time left to be played, Erick Mathoho was sent off. Middendorp adjusted his side by moving Sasman and Katsande alongside Cardoso to make three centre backs, then having Parker moving over to left-back.
Pirates, meanwhile, had thrown Augustine Mulenga on for Xola Mlambo having earlier made the curious decision to withdraw the dangerous Pule for a completely ineffectual Justin Shonga. By the end, Pirates were effectively playing with Mako and Motshwari in midfield, three at the back and five forwards. There was still time for Mako to burst forward centrally and set up Mabasa for a great opening to be spurned.
Summary
This was a highly interesting game tactically. Pirates’ mobile front three caused nightmares for Chiefs backline, whilst the usage of Paseko Mako as an inverted full-back gave Chiefs problems they could not answer. Between minutes 30 and 75, there was only one team on the pitch.
Chiefs gave one of their least impressive performances of the season, as Maluleka was nullified, Lebogang Manyama had no attacking impact on the game and Billiat was a relative irrelevance. Having taken a 2-0 lead from their advantage in the air, the loss of Castro took away a big weapon, especially as Zuma was utilised so ineffectively.
However, the changes from both sides at 2-2 tilted the balance more towards Chiefs. Pirates taking Pule off made Chiefs’ life easier, and then Middendorp solidifying his right flank with Ntiya-Ntiya and Parker eased the onslaught up that side.
In the end, Pirates created far more chances and had the longer spell of dominance, and yet still lost – to an own goal howler, a header from a corner and a penalty.
This match summed up their season so far. Kaizer Chiefs just keep finding a way to win matches and they are now undoubtedly genuine title challengers, a remarkable turnaround in such a short time.
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