Lamontville Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi was left to rue missed opportunities as his side were bundled out of the Nedbank Cup on post-match penalties by neighbours Durban City on Sunday.
City won the quarterfinal tie 5-4 on spot kicks after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time to book a spot in the last four of the cup competition.
Arrows had a one-man advantage for the last 40 minutes after City midfielder Athini Jodwana was red-carded in the 79th minute, but did not use it.
“I think we started the game quite well and dominated with very good football but, unfortunately, we were punished from a set-piece. I think it was even their first corner kick,” said Mngqithi after Fezile Gcaba put City into a 39th-minute lead.
“I was aware that they can be very dangerous on set pieces. We came back after halftime with the right energy and intensity to equalise. In that spell, we created four very good chances.”
Thokozani Khumalo then equalised in the 59th minute but after that was guilty of a horror miss from only metres out.
“I don't even know how it did not go into the net, because I think at any given day you could ask the same player to try and miss, he would score. It would be very difficult to miss again. So, it's football, we must accept.
“Then once they got a red card, I think our immaturity started to show. We played a lot of unnecessary long balls, were not as aggressive and as intense as I expected, which is why I changed both fullbacks, because I wanted to have fresher legs in the wide channels. I believed that if we could get behind them a lot, we could create something,” Mngqithi added.
“We had a spell of some good moments, but after that our energy was very low and we started to play the game that they wanted to play … a game with a lot of stoppages and delays, because they know (City goalkeeper Darren (Keet) is very good at penalties.”
“I tried to push the team to try and score, but unfortunately it did not happen. In the latter stages of the game, I think in the last minute of optional time, I think they should have had a penalty because I think (goalkeeper Edward) Maova was a bit late with a challenge.
“That's when I knew this thing might not go our way, because we should not have gone to the penalties if the ref had seen what had happened, because, in my opinion, (Maova) was late and he kicked the opponent. And that was how I can summarise the game, but I do believe we played well, but not well enough if we did not win the match.”