AmaZulu FC head coach Romain Folz ruefully admitted they have only themselves to blame after the team’s defeat to Stellenbosch FC over the weekend.
Goals from Iqraam Rayners and Devon Titus earned Stellies a 2-0 win over Usuthu in a DStv Premiership match which was played at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
“I think our first-half was good, I think we created big chances in the first 20 minutes. We hit the post if I’m not mistaken, we also had one v one against the ‘keeper at 0-0,” Folz said.
“I believe after that we fell into the trap that was in front of us. We knew how they’d play, we knew they’d capitalise on every transition.
“So, as soon as you start leaving the space behind, you know they’re going to run into that. I believe our balance was very poor for the entire second half,” the 32-year-old Frenchman continued.
“So, it’s a matter of us finding the correct formula to make sure that we are safe in the balance like that. Credit to them, they had one game which was to begin the ball in the medium block and play into the spaces but they did it well.”
Folz explained that AmaZulu’s failure to convert their chances led to the team’s defeat to Stellies having also rued the team’s poor finishing following last week’s defeat to Dondol Stars in the Nedbank Cup.
“We gave them (Stellenbosch) the opportunity to do it even though we knew that’s what they were going to be doing. I believe our distances on how to prevent people from running into the spaces were way too big,” he added.
“We were covering the space more than covering the man. I believe we were very poor at that in the last 45 minutes. But then again, it’s coming back to the same issue that we had recently.
“With the chances we had in the first half, the first 20 minutes, we should have been the first ones to open the scoring. So, credit to the opponents, they played a good game, they missed a lot of chances in the second half,” he explained..
“But I believe our first-half was good enough [for us] to open the scoring. After that our balance was very poor which allowed them to have many chances. Again, it’s our fault.”
AmaZulu are scheduled to take on Swallows FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium on April 1 as the DStv Premiership action resumes after the current FIFA international break.
