Tinkler hopes MTN8 win builds confidence

Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler admits his side were not at their best in the opening half of the 4-0 thumping of Swallows FC in their MTN8 semifinal, second leg clash on Wednesday, but hopes the result will give his team confidence ahead of another big weekend fixture.

City were comfortable winners in the end thanks to a brace from Surprise Ralani, and further goals from Fagrie Lakay and Edmilson Dove, and will now meet Mamelodi Sundowns in the October 30 final of the competition.

The scoreline was perhaps not a true reflection of the play, but Tinkler says it will be a huge boost to his team.

"I don't think we were very good in the first half," Tinkler says. "Structurally we struggled to deal with them, our pressing strategy didn't work as we had planned in training. They created a number of problems for us.

"They played literally with four up against us, and when they came into the half-pockets we didn’t track them and then it was very easy for them to get through the build-up phase and into the final phase.

"We spoke about it at halftime, where we needed to fix it. The second half started pretty much the same, we struggled for the first 10 minute period, but once we got the first goal, the game turned on its head.

“From there on we controlled it and they had to obviously commit more bodies in attack, take a chance and a risk, and when they did that we opened them up.

"I'm happy for the team, we have been working extremely hard in that final third to score goals. Hopefully that builds the confidence of the team, the psychological side of the game is so important and a lot of people don't see that.

“We needed this result tonight, leading up to the [DStv Premiership] game against Orlando Pirates on the weekend.”