Baxter reveals how weather nearly cost Kaizer Chiefs Soweto derby win over Orlando Pirates

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter elaborated on how the weather conditions during the Soweto derby victory against Orlando Pirates affected some of his decision-making.

While Bucs freshened their side up with a host of substitutions midway through the second half, the only change Baxter made inside the 90 minutes was replacing midfielder Cole Alexander with Anthony Akumu in the 68th minute.

As the game went into the final quarter, Chiefs had found themselves increasingly on the back foot as Pirates pressed for a way back into the contest – which they did when Linda Mntambo levelled the scores in the 87th minute.

It was somewhat surprising that Baxter waited so long to make his next substitutions – Kgaogelo Sekgota and Reeve Frosler were both introduced in the 94th minute.

“It started lashing down, just as I was going to going to make the changes,” Baxter said during his post-match interview with SuperSport TV – in reference to the driving rain (as well as a slight thunderstorm) during the Soweto derby.

“And if you put players on, when the weather conditions have suddenly changed, it takes them time to get into the game.

“I didn’t think we could afford that against a Pirates team who were pushing at that time.

“I wanted to get them on,” he continued. “I didn’t want the tired legs to collapse complete. I wanted to get them on, I waited because of the weather but then we gave away a goal and you’ve got to scramble.”

At the end of the day, the result could well have gone either way and Baxter was therefore pleased with the three points his side picked up, especially after it seemed as if Bucs had snatched the win away with Mntambo’s late strike which followed a Daniel Akpeyi blunder as well as a loose pass from Bernard Parker.

“Thoughts immediately after you win a derby, a little bit scrambled,” the Amakhosi coach said.

“But happy, proud of the lads for getting right back at the death. We were quite comfortable at one stage but then Pirates built up a head of steam and credit to them; the goal, it was what it was, we lose the ball, we get done on the transition.”

“In a derby, things like a miss-kick or a bad tackle can lose it or win it. So delighted to win.”