‘I Feel Like We Were Playing An NFD Team’

Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila playmaker Tumi Ngwepe says they feel like they played against a team from the GladAfrica Championship due to the inexperience of the SuperSport United squad.

TTM stunned the five-time winners of the competition who were leading 2-0 with two late goals before winning the tie in extra-time 3-2 thanks to  Ngwepe, Naeem Amoojee and Tumelo Makha.

Jesse Donn’s 16th-minute stunner had given the visitors the lead before Gamphani Lungu’s 63rd-minute penalty looked to have secured the tie, but the youthful SuperSport capitulated as they’ve done on several occasions in the DStv Premiership this season.

Head coach Kaitano Tembo cited the lack of leadership in defence as the Achilles heel and Ngwepe admits the inexperience was telling.

“I think… I’m not undermining them but I feel like we were playing against an NFD team because a few players just got promoted from the MDC so they are still young,” Ngwepe told SuperSport TV.

“We played well, they scored against us first but we kept on grinding to score three goals, we kept rotating the ball, making sure we stayed compact and we played as well. We didn’t defend after scoring three goals, we went at them – we did well.”

The 27-year-old former Jomo Cosmos midfielder says they never gave up hope, even at two goals down and lauded the influence of the supporters who came out at Thohoyandou Stadium.

“To be honest I knew we’d bounce back because we have experienced strikers like Rendani [Ndou] and [Rhulani] Manzini and they’ve been scoring for us,” he added.

“We missed them [the fan] a lot, it was fun, I think SuperSport were playing against us and the fans so it was more difficult for them.”

TTM will now be awaiting their fate after becoming the first side to book their spot in the semi-finals of the 2021/22 Nedbank Cup competition.