Siwelele can take heart from Kaizer Chiefs draw, says Seema

Siwelele FC coach Lehlohonolo Seema says his side are beginning to reach the competitive level he expects after holding Kaizer Chiefs to a goalless draw in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday.

In only their first season since buying the status of SuperSport United, Siwelele have struggled to overcome the tough period that followed Matsatsantsa a Pitori in their final campaign. After ten matches, they now find themselves in the relegation zone.

Currently 15th on the table, Siwelele have collected four points from their last three encounters. While they have shown flashes of promise even in defeat, Seema believes the team is starting to demonstrate real progress.

The former Sekhukhune United coach expressed satisfaction with his side’s efforts and the valuable point they secured at the FNB Stadium.

"We are more than happy, this is our first away point ever since the season started," Seema said after the match.

"We will build on this point because we didn’t get it against a team that was not playing. 

“It was a Chiefs team that had a lot of fresh players, and they remained dangerous throughout the 90 minutes. Tactically, we were spot on. We wanted to get a goal early in the first half. We couldn’t score, but we will take the point."

With only two wins from their ten league matches, the Bloemfontein based outfit can take confidence from being just three points behind 11th-placed Richards Bay FC. Seema emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency in away matches while also making the most of home fixtures.

Many of Siwelele’s players previously played for SuperSport, and Seema noted that mental toughness has been just as crucial as performance in helping the team approach their best on the pitch.

"We had to work a lot on mental toughness to ensure that they believe in themselves. We are a team that used to play not to lose, but that didn’t challenge the opponent either," he continued.

 "We had to work on that and make sure that when we play, we aim to score goals and win matches. When you don’t win for a long time, with whatever you are doing, you try to salvage what you have, and that is not how football matches are won.

“In the games we have won, we didn’t have a lot of possession, but we took the game to the opponent. That shows we are playing without fear; it’s a work in progress. The mentality we had at the start of the season is slowly taking shape, and sooner or later, we will get it right."