Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs defender Eric Mathoho is refusing to throw in the towel as his team continue to chase the Absa Premiership title.
Amakhosi suffered a set-back in their quest for success this season as they crashed out of Nedbank Cup on Saturday against SuperSport United.
The Glamour Boys lost 5-3 on penalties to United after a 1-1 draw in a thrilling Nedbank Cup quarter-final at FNB Stadium.
Mathoho exclusively told Vodacom Soccer: "Well, the defeat has come as a setback to us as it has been our ambition to win this cup [Nedbank Cup] this season.
"We knew that SuperSport would give us a tough game, but we gave a fight and could have won the game had we converted the chances we created, mostly especially the penalty we missed in the extra time.
"But pointing the finger at someone won't help at this stage, because things like these (missing a penalty) are part of football."
He added: "Yes, it's painful for us to have been eliminated in this stage of the tournament, but we take it on the chin like professionals and soldier on.
"Now that we are out of the Nedbank, our focus is now firmly on the league title race. It is getting more and more intense now with each game, and I believe we still have equal chances like other current league contenders to challenge for the title."
Following the elimination from the lucrative Nedbank Cup knock-out tournament, third-placed Amakhosi will resume their league title contention by battling it out with fellow title contenders, Cape Town City, in a highly-awaited top-of-the table clash on Tuesday, April 25 at Cape Town Stadium.
Kick off is at 19:30.