Stuart Baxter: Happy Mashiane red card was a big blow

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter says the dismissal of Happy Mashiane derailed the club’s CAF Champions League final second half plans on Saturday.

READ | KAIZER CHIEFS BOW OUT OF CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE R18.2 MILLION RICHER!

Egyptian giants Al Ahly claimed their 10th CAF Champions League title with an impressive 3-0 win against Amakhosi who had Mashiane sent off on the stroke of half-time.

READ | CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL: HAPPY MASHIANE SEES RED!

Amakhosi went into the half-time break at 0-0, but a man down and with a mountain to climb.

Al Ahly opened the scoring shortly after the resumption in the 53rd minute through Mohamed Sherif before Pitso Mosimane’s side doubled their lead when Akram Tawfik netted in the 64th minute.

Amr El Soleya then sealed the result with a superb strike in the 74th minute.

READ | KAIZER CHIEFS’ CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL HIDING LEAVES ORLANDO PIRATES SMILING

Speaking after the game, Baxter said according to Kickoff: “If we had gone into half-time with a complete team then we could have tweaked a few things, but as it was with Happy’s red card, you’re going in and scrambling then, to decide [what to do].

“It’s a cup final, you can’t go in and play 4-4-1 and only defend, so we went with a 4-3-2 and brought in Khama (Billiat), which was a gamble really, because he’s not played for so long.”

Stuart Baxter said he was proud of his team’s efforts nonetheless.

“But even having said that, I think the goals that we gave away were poor goals. If we defend properly and normally then we can extend that time when they don’t score and increase the frustration, and maybe then we get a set-play or counter-attack.

“But as it was, we gave away that first goal and then I’ve got to try and devise a way of getting people onto the field that can bring us back into the game, so you’re trying to hit the gas to the bottom and then you really need to put the hand-break on.

“The lads did unbelievably well to get to where we are now to this final, so I think once the obvious disappointment of the defeat has settled, I think they will get the credit they deserve.”

SOCCER QUIZ | ANSWER THESE 5 EASY QUESTIONS AND WIN R1 000!