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Cape Town Spurs coach Ernst Middendorp was left infuriated when it was put to him that his side “came away with a draw” against AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the DStv Premiership match on Friday night.
“You call it ‘You come away with a point’. You are telling me that we are a lucky team, that’s nonsense,” said Middendorp with a stoned face to an AmaZulu official after the game.
“We had a fully deserved 1-0, leading at half-time, and as you all have seen, I think you’re all experts of the game, I think we had at least four 100% possibilities to make a second goal.”
Luke Baartman rose highest in the first half of the additional time, meeting a well-weighted corner of Siyanda Msani before halftime.
It was a well-deserved lead for Spurs, who marginalized Usuthu to a mere team in the first half without any trouble.
While Baartman’s stock is certainly on the rise, he was unlucky not to grab a brace as Taariq Fielies’ middle pass was intercepted by Chumani Butsana, who released the youngster in an advanced area. Fielies was unlucky to be not punished as Baartman’s shot stung the gloves of Olwethu Mzimela, with the ball crashing into the upright, leaving Middendorp crushing his face.
However, Usuthu coach Pablo Franco Martin tactically switched things a bit before the second got underway, going all-out on attack to ensure they got something out of the game.
As the home side threw the kitchen sink to the restricted Spurs, they were rewarded as Mlondi Mbanjwa’s cut-back set up Celimpilo Ngema to fire home an equaliser in the 79th minute.
As Usuthu put Spurs on the back foot and almost won, at the end of the game, Middendorp cut a forlorn figure in getting a draw, going straight around the post without having shaken Martin’s hands, clearly infuriated by the outcome of the game.
It was reminiscent of Middendorp’s 2019/20 season with Kaizer Chiefs when they painfully lost to Gavin Hunt’s Bidvest Wits at FNB Stadium in the bio bubble, as he was left brutally emotional.
“At this moment it is very crucial (to drop looking at the position we are in),” said Middendorp when asked on why he cut a forlorn figure.
“You are disappointed, you have seen the game, and you think ‘Okay, 1-1 it [feels] like a defeat. I need this second [to cool down].
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“This morning I went for a 1:49 walk to cool me down and on Saturday morning before we leave [I will do it again].
“But I’m passionate, I hate to lose a game, and I hate to play a draw – believe it or not. And I see a game like this [which we should have won], you must cool down a little bit and that is the reason for it [for running around the post].”