Baxter’s side put through wringer
COACH: WE WERE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL
Tuks so close to earning their place in quarterfinals.
Stuart Baxter got a taste of all the ups and downs of knockout football in one match on Tuesday evening, as his SuperSport United side came back from the dead to beat the University of Pretoria and reach the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals.
Matsatsantsa looked to be heading out as they trailed Tuks 3-1 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium well into the second half. But goals from Jeremy Brockie and Morne Nel dragged them back into the game and two saves from Ronwen Williams in the penalty shootout helped ensure SuperSport’s place in today’s draw.
“We were somewhere between heaven and hell,” Baxter told the SuperSport television cameras after the game.
“I thought we started slowly, they moved the ball quickly on a slippery surface. Once we got going we didn’t do too bad.
“We just thought in the second half that if we had three centrebacks and pushed our wingbacks tight we could stop the crosses … then unbelievably we got done on two crosses. After that the lads worked really hard, we stuck at it with the wingbacks, we got a lot of crosses in and we got the goals back …. Penalties is what it is …. I feel sorry for Shaun (Bartlett), I have been there.”
The result was unlucky for Bartlett and Tuks, who put up a great show that belied their struggles in the Absa Premiership. The Tuks coach made several changes to his side in anticipation of Saturday’s key relegation six-pointer against Maritzburg United.
But it was Tuks who went in front early on through Thabo Nemukondeni, and though Michael Morton equalised for SuperSport before the break, strikes from Innocent Chikohwa and a Grant Kekana own goal in the second half seemed to have put Tuks in control.
“We came here with no expecations,” Bartlett told SuperSport.
“The changes were made for players to stake a claim and I have said to them that they have nothing to be disappointed about. With that sort of application we deserve to stay in the league but we have to do it on a consistent basis, starting on Saturday. That is our cup final.”