Moroka Swallows coach Steve Komphela says keeping a third successive clean sheet is a plus for his defense, however admitted that they need to find solutions when Tshegofatso Mabasa doesn’t score.
Swallows drew 0-0 with Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday to sit in fifth spot on the DStv Premiership log with 17 points.
City had clearer chances in the match that Daniel Akpeyi and company dealt with and Komphela applauded his backline, saying they did a great job, especially in containing someone like Oswin Appollis.
“In my opinion that [clean sheet] is a plus from a defensive point of view though we know by our desire, our standards a clean sheet is okay but had it been another day we’d be unlucky they’d score,” said Komphela.
“So you have to be so tight that the opposition must ask themselves ‘how are we going to penetrate these people’.
“But credit must be given to the center-back Vusi Sibiya for doing well, Kegan Allan doing well, Keenan Phillips and Bongani Sam as well, the screening by Bara Phalane and AJ it looks okay, even though we had a bit of problems with Appollis on the left. When he drifted inside he found the inner line, we needed to close that and soon as we realised that we cut that.
“I got a great feeling that in as much as they had a great chance, Akpeyi made a save. They also hit the upright and there were chances, which we also got which were not as clear but we could have made them clearer so that we terminate. ‘
However, the Swallows coach also insisted his side need not to look at one player for goals moving forward.
“I think in our final third we need to be a little bit clearer and better so that we can then start scoring and it shouldn’t be that, if Mabasa is not scoring then we do not get goals,” he added.
“So we have to go work on that but in terms of build up from the back, perfect, in the midfield, perfect, even though sometimes I think we exposed the ball.”
