Zwane Admits AmaZulu Let Cup Tie Slip Against Stellenbosch

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane has taken a frank look at his team’s Carling Knockout Cup exit, saying they threw away a match they had under control. Stellenbosch won 2-1 at the Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday evening, according to iDiski Times.

The Durban side appeared to be on top for long periods after the break, but the semi-final dream ended when a penalty was given in stoppage time for a handball by Taariq Fielies. The result also stopped an unbeaten run that went back to August.

Zwane points to final-third decisions

Zwane has been in good form as a coach, having collected the Betway Premiership monthly award for September and October. AmaZulu had also strung together six wins in a row before this loss. Asked whether the aim now was simply to get back to the habits behind that run, he said the team still had plenty to fix. “We still have a lot of work to do,” Zwane said.

In his view, the problems came mainly in the final third, where his players did not always choose the right pass. He said one of the team’s strengths is moving the ball through the assist zones, and that the goal they scored came from exactly that kind of play. More of it, he believes, would have created further chances.

He named several players who reached promising positions but could not finish the move:

• Pule Ekstein arrived in the right area, but late.
• Omega Mdaka got into position, then hesitated.
• Riaan Hanamub also got there, but the ball was played to the near post.

Zwane said the right players were not being found with passes that would let them tap the ball in.

Control turned into a costly mistake

The coach also felt his players became overexcited once the game turned in their favour. Stellenbosch, he said, were sitting in a block and not trying to take the game to AmaZulu, because the Durban side were the ones in control. He argued that this is when teams can get punished, as happened with the late penalty.

Zwane said that while there could be debate about whether a foul should have been given, his defenders still had the chance to make a professional foul or otherwise deal with the situation. He did not hide from where the responsibility lay. “We have ourselves to blame,” he said.

He added that the lesson, though hard, is one the team must take on board as they move on from the cup exit.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.