We all know what is at stake
On their 3 -1 win over AmaZulu FC
We’ve been working hard for our second win of the season since beating Orlando Pirates last year. Each and every p layer in our team knew what was at stake and we were switched on for the entire game. Our p erformance was on p oint and if we can continue p laying this way, I have no doubt that we will kill a lot of teams in the league. Before this match, we sp ent more than a month without p laying due to the Africa Cup of Nations, so we knew that this game was not going to be easy. But fortunately, we knew how AmaZulu ap p roach matches as far as their p layers are concerned. We watched a lot of our p revious games just to see where we made mistakes, what we could do to beat them and which p layers could be suitable to p lay against them. We looked at those things in detail. Funnily enough, during the match we didn’t even p ress too high – we were in the middle block for most of the game and every danger that came through, we took care of it. We forced them wide because we know how to deal with crosses. We had p layers who were there to deal with crosses and others, like myself, who dealt with second balls. Fifteen minutes into the game, I scored the first goal and that was a great feeling. We knew that we had a chance of scoring first, but we didn’t know when that would be. Plus, now I know what it feels like to score and I believe that there is more to come later in the season. I just have to take more shots on target. Midway through the first half, (Abbubaker) Mobara scored for them. We didn’t want them to score and when that hap p ened, there was a bit of disap p ointment. There were a few disap p ointed faces after conceding that goal. But we were also p ositive that there were more chances that we could create because the match was wide op en. We dealt well with that setback and managed to get back into the match.
On how they handled the second half
At half-time, the atmosp here was a little bit relaxed and the coach (Ernst Middendorp ) told us not to p anic. Before half-time, we had a chance to make it 2-1 from the p enalty sp ot, but we missed it. So, the coach said we just needed to focus on finishing every chance. He went into detail about the changes he wanted to make. When we missed the p enalty, we were not frustrated. When we were awarded the p enalty, I wanted to take it, but at the same time I realised that Boitumelo (Radiop ane) was coming back from injury and needed a goal to build his confidence. I made that decision (to give him the ball for the p enalty), but after he missed, there was no shouting or yelling. Players just said, ‘Don’t worry, we will get another chance to score.’ A few minutes into the second half, we made it 2-1 through Ashley (Cup ido) and we felt that we could control the game. At the same time, we knew that AmaZulu could create chances and score because they had a few chances in the second half. We controlled the game, but it was 50-50 when it came to creating goalscoring op p ortunities. Deep down inside, we knew that AmaZulu were cap able of scoring. If they had scored the second goal, to p eop le that was going to look like we are a team that cannot control matches. A few minutes to the end of the match, we made it 3-1. If Ashley had missed that op p ortunity, that was going to p ut us under p ressure. It was a big relief when we scored and we were more relaxed. We knew that even if they scored the second goal, we had a two-goal cushion.
On usually playing well and failing to win
This season, we have been p laying well even in matches that we lost, but the p roblem is that we haven’t been able to p revent losses. The wins against Pirates and AmaZulu were not the only matches where we p erformed well. Our p roblem is consistency – we try our best to win but just cannot be consistent. Even the coaches are telling us that in the PSL, if we don’t take our chances we will be p unished because this is a p rofessional level. At this level, you only get an op p ortunity to score once in a while and if you don’t take it, that will come back and bite you. Every time we miss an op p ortunity, the op p onents will create and score – that hap p ens all the time. If we can be able to take our chances, we will win matches. The consistency and p unishing op p onents is something that we need to work on. Yes, beautiful football, we have it and we can match our op p onents p oundfor-p ound, but we are not winning consistently. That is our p roblem. During the Africa Cup of Nations break, we were training hard and p laying a few friendly matches to be ready because we all know what is at stake. The difference between us and Richards Bay FC, who are in p osition 15, is six p oints. We are p ositive and we are working hard to close the gap . We are working hard at training and our mentality has changed because we have had a few p unches in the first round of the league. If we didn’t learn our lessons from the first round, then what will be the use of p laying? Personally, I’ve learnt a lot and I wish I can p lay in this league for a long time. It’s comp letely different from the Motsep e Foundation Champ ionship in terms of p rofessionalism. I’m more comp osed on and off the ball and every decision that you make as a p layer is very imp ortant. You need to be at the right p lace at the right time. Of course, you are not going to make the correct decision all the time because as humans we are not p erfect, but you need to p revent those mistakes. If you look at most p layers in this league, they don’t make a lot of mistakes because they are very hungry to succeed. If you make a mistake, they will p unish you. Those are lessons that I’ve learned in the last few months.
On what the future holds
Ever since I started p laying football, it has always been my dream to p lay at this level. I had big dreams from a very young age and I didn’t know that it would feel this way to finally p lay in the DStv Premiership . Desp ite losing matches at the beginning of the season, I’m really enjoying my football. The best p art about p laying football is reaching the highest level, and now that I’m here, I can’t throw this op p ortunity away now. I’ve been p laying for Ajax Cap e Town since the age of 13 and all the Cap e Town p layers who reached the PSL, like Mark Mayambela, I looked up to them. I was telling them that I also wanted to be at that level because I could see the ‘soft life’ they lived and the treatment they received – I wanted to taste it. Players like Keagan Dolly as well, I used to watch them. I used to p lay amateur football in Langa township and my football sp oke for itself because there were scouts who sp otted me. Sergio Dos Santos and Mr Louis (De Faria) came to watch me and convinced me to join Ajax and I didn’t hesitate taking the op p ortunity. There were lots of p layers who came from Langa and p layed for this club, like Gareth Ncaca. I also want to make the same mark as them. I want to be p art of this league next season and I will do everything to help Cap e Town Sp urs.