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The whirlwind rollercoaster of Cape Town City in the game against AmaZulu and letting it slip at the end has left coach Eric Tinkler crushed, calling it unacceptable.
Tinkler’s side, despite Usuthu having scored first through Mbongeni Gumede in the sixth minute, scored twice through Khanyisa Mayo in the 26th minute, and then took the lead when Tshegofatso Nyama blasted in at the near post in the 58th minute to go ahead.
But they lost their heads in the referee’s optional time when Ivory Coast striker Junior Dion scored twice to see Usuthu win 3-2 in an entertaining game in Durban.
“It was disappointing,” reacted Tinkler.
It was City’s fifth loss on bounce in all competitions, leaving them languishing in position 14 in the DStv Premiership table with six points from six matches.
“You can’t lose the game the way we lose the game like that,” Tinkler continued.
“For me it is unacceptable and I’m not going to sit here and talk tactics, there is no point in that.
“Mistakes cost you and they cost you three points. You have to learn from your mistakes, you have to understand the level you are playing at.
“There is no easy game in this league. Every single game is hard, every single game is a fight and you have to fight for those three points, for 90 minutes or like tonight (Sunday) for 97 minutes.
“You have to know when to control the game. You have to know when to manage the game.”
City’s last win of the season was when they beat Moroka Swallows last month in their second league game of the season, having started the season by defeating Polokwane City to collect the six points they have.
Tinkler, in the hope to arrest the losing slide, made a big call by dropping Darren Keet in goals and gave Bongani Mpandle his first start.
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Mpandle, who worked with Tinkler at Maritzburg United, has not played league football for over two seasons.
His last appearance was against Golden Arrows with the Team of Choice on 31 January 2021.
Mpandle showed his rustiness, and will have to shoulder the blame for how goals were conceded.
Tinkler said Mpandle cannot sit around on the bench twiddling his thumbs and only wait when Keet is injured.
“This is a thing, you have the first choice and second choice goalkeeper and like you say, why do you have a second choice goalkeeper? He is there to back your first choice,” said Tinkler.
“When is he supposed to come back in? When he (Keet) is injured or lacking form? That’s just a fact. Opportunity was there for Bongs to come in and get an opportunity to play.
“It is not easy to be the second choice because you can spend a long time without game time. We played a lot of friendly games and from there we tried to get his sharpness and game time.”