Good enough to be confident, Maritzburg told
Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids says his players do not know how good they are after the club made it to a first cup final with an upset 3-1 win over Sundowns on Sunday.
United will meet Free State Stars in the Nedbank Cup final in Cape Town on May 19.
“I think it’s marvelous for the players. Since the first day in pre-season‚ I kept telling them they have to believe how good they really are‚” said Davids‚ in his first full season as a coach.
“They are still not taking this confidence on board. I think it will take some time but let’s hope they really start to believe in themselves.
“As we grow as a team‚ as we become better‚ they will realise and then perhaps take it to the next level.”
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST DAY IN PRESEASON‚ I KEPT TELLING THEM THEY HAVE TO BELIEVE HOW GOOD THEY REALLY ARE Fadlu Davids Maritzburg United coach
Maritzburg conceded a soft goal after only 70 seconds but Lebogang Maboe‚ Mxolisi Kunene and Fortune Makaringe turned things around as they snatched success with two goals in a thrilling last five minutes.
“I’m very proud of the players because when you concede a goal in the second minute against the log leaders and the former African champions‚ it’s easy to drop your head‚” Davids said.
“When Sundowns dominated possession‚ it was also easy to think that you are not good enough.
“But I liked how we kept thinking; thinking about the next action‚ thinking about what they should do‚ about when we have the ball‚ the position that they should take up‚ that was key to the comeback.
“They kept clear heads no matter the circumstances.”
Maritzburg are now concentrating on chasing a possible top three finish as they meet Sundowns again at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday.
“We cannot afford to celebrate now because we have games on Wednesday and again on Saturday.
“I don’t want my players to go out to the nightclubs and then be flat for their next two games‚” Davids said.
On Saturday, Maritzburg are away against beleaguered Kaizer Chiefs at Soccer City.
The turning point in Mamelodi
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Sundowns’ defeat on Sunday came after the sending off of Gaston Sirino, says Sundowns’ coach Pitso Mosimane.
Sundowns were reduced to 10 men for the last 15 minutes of the game and Mosimane said this contributed to their defeat.
He said referee Victor Hlungwani should have sent off Deolin Mekoa of Maritzburg for what the Sundowns coach felt was a second bookable offence‚ though Mosimane also said he had no qualms with the dismissal of the Uruguayan who received two yellow cards in quick succession.
The first yellow card was for a petulant push on Bandile Shandu and the second was for a dangerous studs-up challenge on Lebogang Maboe.
“Deolin [Mekoa] is on a yellow card and he kicks Anele [Ngcongca] out of the pitch and Anele cannot continue but Victor just goes and talks with him‚” Mosimane said.
“But with Sirino … of course‚ he deserves a red card if he goes over the ball with his studs.
“I’m not saying that he should have got red but if you leave Deolin without a second yellow‚ why do you give to Sirino then?
“That’s where the game went for us.
“What could we then do? It was 10 against 11‚ we had to try and push on.
“We pushed people up front‚ we didn’t want to sit back. Then it becomes open obviously.”
“Victor knows he made the biggest blunder … he should have booked Deolin the second time. And that’s where it went‚” Mosimane insisted.
“We controlled the game very well in the beginning and got the early goal‚ managing it all very well‚ you know.
“But a lapse in concentration in the last two minutes before half-time cost us.
“But what a brilliant goal they [Lebogang Maboe] scored. Good interchanging of passes and we were a second late to the ball every time.”
Mosimane said that Sundowns had wanted to reach the Nedbank Cup final but “it did not happen and we must accept it”.