NMMU Madibaz were left disappointed as they slumped to their first home defeat in Varsity Football against a determined UWC.
The home side had enough chance to kill the game off in the first half but a series of near misses cost them. None more so than in the third minute of the match when scoring seemed a definite.
"We had plenty of chances to kill the game in the first 30 minutes of the match but we missed too many chances. It could have been a different game if we had scored in the third minute but that's football. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t," said a disappointed NMMU coach, Greame Harrison.
The Madibaz' concentration levels were exposed once again as, much like their other matches, they conceded a late goal which cost them a vital point. A point which Harrison would have been happy with.
"We conceded another goal late in the match after we got ourselves back into the game. It's not a matter of losing concentration for a few minutes but a few seconds because they scored the winner 20 seconds after we equalised."
"We would have been very happy with a draw as it would have been a moral victory for us since we played most of the match with 10 men on the field," he added.
The home side were reduced to 10 men close to end of the first half when Cloudius Sangandira, who had just returned from injury, was given his marching orders for misconduct. Harrison, however, refused to comment on the dismissal.
He expressed that his side were more gutted about the manner in which they had lost the match rather than ending their unbeaten home record.
There was a concern during the match for the home side as Kieran Koert was substituted after he felt a tweak in his hamstring. It was more for precaution though and Harrison believes that Koert will recover as the injury is not as serious as they initially thought.
NMMU will be determined to collect maximum points from their remaining matches as they look to secure a semi-final spot. Harrison concluded by saying he had no doubt his side will fight to the bitter end to secure their spot in the next phase of the competition.
