Zilakazi (left): Photo Credit: AmaZulu Media.
AmaZulu FC co-coach Vusi Vilakazi believes he is Mamelodi Sundowns’ victim after losing again to the South African champions at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Tuesday afternoon in a Betway Premiership match.
Vilakazi said this in a post-match interview after AmaZulu lost 0-1 to Sundowns who played the last quarter of the game with a man down following goalkeeper Ronwen Williams’ red carding for handling the ball outside the box while averting danger.
“There is one thing we suffer in our football in South Africa football, unfortunately in the crucial phases of the game. I might be the victim of that because, with the same people, it happened last season just at the end of the game, and it is happening again. We need to work on, the psychological aspect with players that once you enter in these four lines, you concentrate…I don't think it is a game we deserved to lose today,” he told SuperSport Television.
He said the hosts neutralised the threat of the defending champions yet to concede under the new coach who replaced Mangoba Mngqithi weeks ago, only to be undone by a moment of concentration lapse.
“It was a game of two halves. We started very scrappy but wanted to ensure that our defensive structure was solid in terms of frustrating them. We knew if they didn't score in the first 15 to 20 minutes, we would contain them. Towards the end of the first half, we looked like a team that wanted to win the game.
For all their numerical advantage, Usuthu were undone by a free-kick which the in-form Iqraam Rayners glanced in from the near-post in the 90th minute to silence the home crowd and extend the visitors coach Miguel Cardoso’s unbeaten three-game run.
Taking his turn, Cardoso hailed his team for working hard to make up for the absence of goalkeeper Williams who is set to miss the next two domestic league games with veteran Dennis Onyango likely to get the nod.
"We have a very strong team spirit and I always tell them that when one falls, the other ones must get up. Rowen is a very important player for us not only because of the man he is but also because he is a quality goalkeeper. I don't have an idea of the action [red card] but what is important is that the other ones stood up for him, so I wanted him to feel this energy,” he said.
Sundowns still lead the table while Usuthu are in the lower half of the table.
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