Kwa-Thema – League games under the Springs Local Football Association took centre stage at the Kwa-Thema Sports Complex on May 3, where fans were treated to an intense clash between Sanders United and TP Football Club.
The highly anticipated encounter lived up to expectations, delivering a dramatic five-goal thriller that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
Sanders United head coach, Vusi Zulu, said his side started the match on the front foot.
“We began the game very well and took control from the first minute. We managed to take the lead early on,” said Zulu.
He explained that the halftime message was to exploit wide areas and create numerical advantages.
“The emphasis during the interval was to keep overloading the sides to create two versus one situations.
“I think the boys executed that well, but we just couldn’t convert the chances we created.”
The second half, however, saw momentum shift. He said they allowed the opponents back into the game.
“We conceded from a set play, which is uncharacteristic of us. They then took control and went 2-1 up,” he said.
Zulu made tactical changes, sacrificing a defender for a striker in an effort to chase the game, while also introducing fresh legs on the right flank.
He added that he made adjustments to try and impact the game, and it worked because they managed to equalise.
Despite the fightback, Sanders United suffered heartbreak late in the game.
“We conceded a stoppage-time penalty, which ultimately cost us the match,” added Zulu.
The game ended in a 3-2 defeat, marking Sanders United’s first loss of the campaign despite being current log leaders. Zulu admitted that finishing remains a concern.
“We need to improve our scoring ratio. We create chances but did not convert them. We have to work more on our finishing in the final third,” he cited.
Despite the setback, the coach remains optimistic that his team will bounce back stronger in upcoming fixtures.
Meanwhile, TP Football Club head coach, Gift Hlatshwayo, acknowledged his team’s slow start but praised their second-half response.
“In the first half, we were not switched on. We did not approach the game according to our plan, and we made too many basic mistakes.
“Tactically, we were not on point and could not match the intensity,” said Hlatshwayo.
He said the halftime talk focused more on mentality than tactics
“We reminded the players how important the game was, especially playing against the log leaders.
“The issue was hunger, resilience, and teamwork; those were missing in the first half,” he mentioned.
Hlatshwayo noted a significant improvement after the break, saying in the second half, the mentality was better.
“We showed more energy, improved our pressing, and our tactical discipline was much stronger.
“Despite limited substitutions due to injuries, the impact of a key player introduced in the second half helped shift momentum in our favour,” he cited.
TP Football Club fought back from a 1-0 deficit, equalised, and eventually secured the win with a late penalty to make it 3-2.
Reflecting on the performance, Hlatshwayo said consistency remains a focus.
“We need to impose ourselves from the first minute and not wait for the second half. That is something we must improve going forward,” he concluded.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
