Nedbank Cup: Sundowns' loss to Chiefs "a bitter one to swallow—Komphela

Steve Komphela. Photo Credit: Mamelodi Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns FC assistant coach Steve Komphela has urged the team’s players to dust themselves off after their 1-2 loss to Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup semifinal on Sunday.

Known for being philosophical, Komphela said the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow but it is now in the past and a matter of ‘could have.’

"These are matches of consequence. Every match counts. It is a difficult one to swallow. It is a bitter pill to swallow. The application was fairly reasonable even though we were not as clinical as we are known to be. We said at half-time that the only way we could suffer a setback was from our mistakes. Unfortunately, we helped them. We assisted them,” he told Sundowns media.

The Betway Premiership runaway leaders went ahead through Teboho Mokoena’s free-kick goal five minutes into first-half added time. However, the Glamour Boys dragged themselves back into the game through goals from Wandile Duba (57th minute) and Ashley Du Preez’s 89th-minute winner.

Reflecting on the result, the former Chiefs coach warned Sundowns players to exercise caution in the run-in of the season, as every defeat becomes difficult to handle due to pressure.

“This is the business end of the season. These are matches of consequence. Every match counts. When you lose a match, it becomes difficult to come out. But, it is important to take this one on our chin because we have a bigger match in the CAF Champions League semifinal. This should not set us far back too much… Sometimes when you look back and say we could have, we should have and we would have but it is gone.”

Following the Nedbank Cup exit, the Brazilians now have the Betway Premiership to defend while also spreading attention to the CAF Champions League semifinal fixtures against holders Al Ahly on 19 and 25 April.