Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has jumped to the defence of striker Ashely Du Preez who has come under fire following a draw against AmaZulu.
Kaizer Chiefs were held to a 1-1 draw at home against AmaZulu in the first leg of the 22/23 MTN8 semi-final tie.
Coming into the match, questions had already been raised on the mental state of Du Preez, who was in the spotlight after missing a sitter for Bafana Bafana against Botswana while on international duty.
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The 25-year-old attacker did not help himself when he twice failed to beat AmaZulu's Veli Mothwa in a one-on-one situation, blasting the rebound into the skies, much to Amakhosi supporters' frustration.
However, speaking at the post-match press conference after the match, Zwane was quick to defend the striker.
"No. He's a big boy, he's a has a strong character," Zwane responded when asked if Du Preez may have been affected by his form with the national team.
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"He's one boy that I believe in. We all believe in him. We all believe he's going to get it right at some point."
"As I've been saying, football is a game of mistakes and there are times when things are not going your way. As a coach, what do I do? All I have to do is lift him up. To work on him and improve his game."