Komphela Addresses Offside Call In Defeat To Sundowns

Moroka Swallows head coach Steve Komphela says their 1-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 is a character builder and addressed what appeared to be an offside goal.

Sundowns beat Swallows 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium and played against 10 men from the seventh minute, as Andile Jali received a straight red for his challenge of PSL Footballer of the Season Teboho Mokoena.

With Themba Zwane scoring the only goal of the game in the second half, which many debated whether it was offside, it proved to be a gallant fight against the league champions, which Komphela stated his team can take homage from going into their next game.

“It was a difficult one, first of all, I must thank the Mamelodi Sundowns family for receiving us well, especially myself, it still feels like home and I appreciate that,” Komphela opened by saying in his post-match press conference.

“I think the red card we got just at the beginning of the match didn’t make our lives easy but apart from that, the red card, we played well in the first half, we maintained good shape, resisted sensibly and had moments in set-plays and corner kicks [we threatened].

“But to be honest, we didn’t capitalise, we got into the dressing room and felt, we were still under pressure, but well controlled, but then we made a mistake in the second half as we tried proceeding – we lost the ball and they went on…

“I don’t know how many of us had the privilege of looking at the visuals, because, to a certain extent, you don’t accept it as a goal, per se, could it have been offside? You take it and go and the lessons we take out of this is not a loss.

“It’s a character that was displayed by the team, we’ll go back knuckle down, get into the third match of the league, with this character we got from this match.”

The Dube Birds now turn their attention to Sekhukhune United on Wednesday in the DStv Premiership at the Peter Mokaba Stadium at 19h30.