Owen Da Gama: Photo Credit: Magesi FC.
Magesi FC coach Owen Da Gama, winless in four games since being appointed, has admitted having a tough challenge reversing the Betway Premiership team’s bad habits behind its downward spiral.
Da Gama said this in a post-match interview with SuperSport United after surrendering an early lead to lose 1-2 to league leaders and holders Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday.
“It is all about teaching new things but it is very difficult getting rid of the bad habits. It is a team that has conceded most of the goals sitting deep from outside the box,” he said.
The former Orlando Pirates coach said his players stuck to the game plan of pressing high up the pitch and running at Sundowns players in the first half, only for the bad habits to creep in again.
“We were trying just to play a mid-block and it worked perfectly in the first half, but for some reason, those habits just happened again. We sat deep. My voice is almost gone because I kept saying ‘push out’. The bad habits, to get rid of them, is very hard,” he added.
The hosts went ahead when Wonderboy Makhubu scored with a delightful header in the 12th minute. It took some 20 minutes into the second half for Miguel Cardoso’s boys to respond through Lucas Ribeiro and Tashreeq Matthews.
Commenting on the game, Cardoso admitted that Magesi gave his side a tough run on the park. “We knew that we should make a very strong first half because in the second half, we could pay from some of the fatigue that came from the previous match,” he said.
“Remember, we played 72 hours ago in a [CAF] Champions League match but we didn’t do it so we suffered an incredible goal.”
The Portuguese coach, who remains unbeaten domestically since taking over the mantle from Mangoba Mngqithi, reflected on the tactical tweaks that turned the game around.
“The first half was a tough mentality. Instead of reacting the proper way, we allowed fatigue to fill ourselves so at half time we had to do something to bring some energy and some attitude,” he explained.
Sundowns hold a four-point cushion over second placed Orlando Pirates whose game against Royal AM scheduled for Thursday has been postponed due to financial woes of the Durban based opponents.
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