Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids did not hold back at criticising his players, saying the mentality that was on display in the second half against Casric Stars in the PSL play-off match was something he didn’t like.
This after Maritzburg demonstrated their superiority in the first half at Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday, with Rowan Human scoring two goals.
But in the second half, while Davids was looking for an increase in the score line, as that would’ve come in handy in the mini league, Maritzburg dropped off and allowed Casric to make things nervy for his side.
“It is really disappointing that we didn’t kill off the game with the third and the fourth goal,” said Davids after the game.
“We really have to change that mindset against Cape Town Spurs away because if we are the PSL team we have to show that we are better and we can manage games.
“But in the way we did, I’m really disappointed not to kill off the game like I expected the players to do.
“The two-zero at half time, the possibilities were there (to score more), the crowd was behind us, we really had good passage of play to be able to score, but kicking the ball against our own player.
“These are things we really need an honest and clear conversation to change before we face Cape Town Spurs.”
The Team of Choice moved to the top of the mini league with three points just like Spurs, but the KwaZulu-Natal side is on top with better goal difference.
Maritzburg next play two matches away – against Spurs on Saturday and then Casric on 10 June, before concluding the play-offs against Spurs at Harry Gwala Stadium on 14 June, in what could be the game billed as the decider as both teams look set to tussle out for the number one spot.
“Spurs has an experienced players and some of our former players such as Clayton Daniels, Michael Morton, Nazeer Ali and Jerome Moroole has the NFD experienced, so they have an experienced players who knows how to defend with really clear structure,” said Davids when asked if this will be straight shootout between themselves and Spurs.
“We have to show our dominance in relation to how we approach the game, how we score goals. Definitely it will be a different game to Cape Town Spurs, more to the level of the PSL.
– Advertisement –
“That is why I’m so hard on the players because we played fantastic football at times but we have to be ruthless in front of goals.”
