Sekhukhune United head coach Eric Tinkler joked that Mamelodi Sundowns matching their tactical plan they prepared was like their was a spy on their training during the FIFA international break.
Tinkler set up his side with the back-three, while Sundowns surprisingly did the same for the first time this side from the starting point of the game.
Both sides matched each other in the opening stages, with Tinkler going on to suggest they potentianlly edged the reigning league champions in the opening 45 minutes.
But Sundowns took control and eventually got the winner in the 119th minute as they game went into extra-time goalless between Babina Noko and Masandawana.
“To come up against a team of this quality like Mamelodi Sundowns, is never easy, for any team, obviously the planning and preperation leading up to the game was important, I think we must have a spy somewhere,” Tinkler said.
“They picked up certain things were our plans ahead of the game, looking how they structured themselves in the first half, I don’t think they done that this season, so somewhere along the lines they must have found out what we’ve done during the week.
“But they made five changes to their line-up, Keanu [Cupido] came in and there was that question whether he would be playing a six-role or part of a back-three and he ended up part of the back-three but it didn’t change our planning or set-up.
“In the first half we had the better chances, Learner didn’t have to make a save, his saves came later in the game, I thought the team was good and I was very proud, but things changes after the 60th minute, all the momentum went there way and we lost structure and shape.
“With some of the changes we made, we didn’t have the same intensity, energy, pressing moments and against a team of their quality, they will find spaces and hurt you. So I don’t think the subs were effective as I had hope.
“I could sense fatigue in certain players in a sysrtem that demands a lot of high inetnsity work, speed endurance, recovery, so we looked flat after the hour mark, so there chances came and Renaldo made the saves, excellent saves in my opinion.
“Who were vindicated as a technical team to keep him in after working with him all week, was about two minutes left, so disappointed as we would have had a chance on penalties, but yeah I think overall if you look at the late second half, extra time, Sundowns were the better team and unfortunately got the goal in dying minutes.”
Sundowns will now face Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup next month, while Orlando Pirates take on Marumo Gallants.
