Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has admitted that his side faces an increasingly difficult task in the Betway Premiership title race following their Soweto Derby defeat to Orlando Pirates, although he insists the campaign is far from over.

Amakhosi suffered a 2-1 defeat to their bitter rivals at a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday, a result that further dented their ambitions of challenging for the league title.

Mamelodi Sundowns currently lead the standings with 26 points, while Pirates occupy second place with 15 points, having played a game less. Chiefs, meanwhile, sit fifth with 14 points after nine matches.

With 21 fixtures still remaining, Da Cruz believes there is still time for his team to turn things around, but acknowledges that a significant improvement in results is needed if they are to remain in contention.

The French tactician pointed to the team’s injury problems, which have disrupted their progress since the beginning of the season, as one of the major reasons behind their inconsistent performances.

He is confident that the return of injured players will help Chiefs find greater consistency and improve their ability to turn draws into victories.

Da Cruz feels his side has dropped valuable points in matches where their performances deserved better, with a lack of experience proving costly at crucial moments.

“We made a lot of draws at the beginning of the season, and normally, in many of those games, we deserved to win. But because of our lack of experience, we didn’t manage to get the victories,” Da Cruz explained.

He also stressed the importance of building a positive run of results, believing that a few victories could help restore the team’s confidence and create momentum for the remainder of the campaign.

“For sure, at some point we must have some positive dynamic with some victories in a row to continue. But we must continue and keep a positive mindset,” he said.

Despite the disappointment of the Derby defeat, Da Cruz is not giving up on his team. However, his comments suggest that Chiefs need a significant improvement in results, particularly with their injury concerns and inconsistency continuing to undermine their ambitions.

With 21 league matches still to play, Amakhosi have time to revive their campaign, but the gap to the summit is already considerable. Da Cruz will be hoping that the return of key players can spark a turnaround before their title ambitions slip further out of reach.

Written by: Sandile Ndumo