Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef has condemned the pre-match altercation between Chiefs officials and Pirates security. Despite the "unacceptable" scenes, Ben Youssef insists his squad remained focused to secure a 1-1 draw. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef condemned the ugly scenes that took place during the Soweto derby's warm-up, but revealed he did not use the incident to motivate his players following an impressive display.
Chiefs drew 1-1 with Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Sunday afternoon in their reverse Betway Premiership clash.
Chiefs produced an improved performance, when compared to the disappointing 3-0 defeat they suffered in the first fixture in February. This came after a brawl during the warm-up involving Chiefs players and an official, who clashed with Pirates security personnel, resulting in the Amakhosi temporarily leaving the pitch before returning.
Although it was not clear who instigated the fight, it appeared to involve Pirates personnel, who allegedly tried to forcibly stop a Chiefs official from carrying out a ‘ritual’ during the warm-up.
Given the stakes surrounding the match, with family and friends watching — including those of Ben Youssef — the Amakhosi mentor was visibly disappointed with the pre-match events, revealing that he even received calls from his loved ones enquiring about his safety.
With the clash having a huge impact on Pirates' title race and Chiefs' Top 3 aspirations, Ben Youssef said such incidents were not the way to pursue success.
“I think what happened before the game is something that we can’t accept,” Ben Youssef said, in the post-match press conference.
“We are sending a bad image of our football. People are waiting to watch football, but what we saw before the game is unacceptable.
“I think this kind of situation is a shame. If you want to win the league, you can’t do it like that. You need to do it cleanly.”
Despite the incident, Ben Youssef revealed that the brawl did not affect the team's readiness to compete, as they were already prepared to fight for maximum points.
“We didn’t use that,” Ben Youssef said. “For this kind of game, you don’t have to motivate the players; if you are not motivated for the derby, then what are you doing in football?
“We had to keep them calm and focused on the game. They already had motivation internally. Pre-match, we did say that we had a clean bill of health – all the players were fit and ready to play to win, not to draw.”