We let ourselves down – Tinkler
SuperSport United coach Eric Tinkler has admitted that Matsatsantsa were their own worst enemy when they failed to score against TP Mazembe in the Caf Confederation Cup second-leg final.
Eric Tinkler, coach of SuperSport United during the 2017 Caf Confederations Cup Final Press Conference at Lucas Moripe Stadium. (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
The capital city-based side needed a goal without any response from the Ravens if they were to win the title as they lost 2-1 to the Congolese side in the first-leg. However, Mazembe gallantly held United to a 0-0 draw and successfully defended their title.
“What let us down was that once we got into that final third we just didn’t have enough penetration,” said Tinkler.
“The last pass was a poor pass or the cross into the box was not good enough. The first corner that we had, the quality of the cross was not good, we let ourselves down in that very important phase of the game… that’s what let us down.”
Mazembe were attacking SuperSport from all cylinders in the opening stages of the game, putting Matsatsantsa on the back foot. Tinkler reckons that is probably where the match was lost.
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“That first 10 minutes did catch the players by surprise but I felt once we absorbed that, the players settled and we started to play more football. They have a lot quality upfront, they are a handful, but I think Clayton Daniels and Tefu Mashamaite dealt with them extremely well but not in that first 15 minutes, we let ourselves down.”
Tinkler was also upset by the conduct of Mazembe’s Kabaso Chongo who made an insultive gesture towards SuperSport’s bench after being sent off.
“Obviously certain things that happen become extremely despondent on a personal level. We were not shown respect when we are expected to show humility and respect when we go out of our country. People need to come to our country and show us the same humility and respect, and they didn’t do that,” he lamented.
