Junior Dion, centre, of Lamontville Golden Arrows, netted against Mamelodi Sundowns for the second game in a row on Sunday, but it was not enough to get the KZN team to the MTN8 final.
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Golden Arrows coach Pitso Dladla was understandably disappointed after his side’s MTN8 final hopes were ended by Mamelodi Sundowns, but he saw plenty to encourage him in a performance built on a carefully considered tactical plan.
Arrows led Sundowns twice on the afternoon before eventually losing 3-2, with the tie finishing 3-3 on aggregate and the Brazilians progressing to a date with Orlando Pirates on the away-goals rule.
For Dladla, the manner of the performance was almost as important as the result.
“I thought we played very well,” he said. “We played according to the tactical plan that we agreed with the players. We also knew that we were not going to match Mamelodi Sundowns in terms of possession, but we made them play in areas that we believe they were not going to hurt us.”
It was a plan that worked for long periods, with Arrows frustrating the African champions while still finding opportunities to hurt them on the counter.
“We also did some good passes when we were in possession. We also created some chances,” Dladla said.
The frustration was that Arrows conceded goals they felt could have been avoided, particularly after doing so much right.
The cruelest part came after Marcelo Allende put Sundowns 2-1 ahead in the 77th minute. Dladla knew immediately what that meant. With the aggregate score level, Sundowns’ away goals gave them the advantage.
“We were under pressure because as soon as they scored the second goal, we knew that the away-goal rule favoured them,” he said.
Yet Dladla insisted his players did not simply accept their fate.
“They never gave up. They kept going. That’s their goal,” he said.
The result was particularly painful because Arrows had matched one of the continent’s best sides over two legs, only to see their dream of a first MTN8 final since 2009 disappear on the finest of margins.
“It feels bad, but what can you do? It’s one of the things of the tournament,” Dladla said. “The final score was 3-all, but the away-goal rule is the difference. That’s why one feels sorry for the players, not just for such a performance against any team, but against the African champions.
“We can only learn and grow from this performance.”
And Dladla believes that growth is already visible in the way his team is being developed.
“We are proud of these boys,” he said. “What you see here on match day is what we do every day in training. How you play is how you train."
Arrows will have to pick themselves up quickly, and will get another crack at Sundowns next Sunday, when the Brazilians return to King Zwelithini Stadium for a Betway Premiership clash.
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