Dladla critical of Swallows’ application

Swallows FC acting coach Simo Dladla says it is a mystery to him why his players stopped competagainst Cape Town City in their 4-0 MTN8 semifinal, second leg loss on Wednesday.

Dladla praised the opening 40 minutes from his side, but says they then switched off and stopped playing according to the team plan, which allowed City to overwhelm them in the second period.

"I believe we had a good plan, and it was working, but it needed all the players around it to fully function. I felt we did everything to score in the first 40 minutes, but then we completely withdrew,” Dladla says.

"Everything that we were doing right, we stopped doing it. If you find a player in the six-yard box controlling the ball and finishing alone, it tells a story.

"Second half, after making some changes, we started on a good footing, we put them under pressure, we hit the upright. If that went in, it would be a different story.

"But the team were not engaging in the one-v-ones, the tackles. I don't know what happened, it is something to learn at this level. We did not have people willing to compete. We need to apply ourselves in the right way."

Things do not get any easier for Swallows as they now meet Mamelodi Sundowns in a DStv Premiership fixture on Sunday.