Dladla says Golden Arrows had discussed every qualification scenario before Sundowns defeat

Golden Arrows head coach Pitso Dladla says his players had been briefed on every possible permutation before their MTN8 second-leg tie against Mamelodi Sundowns, despite confusion over the away-goal situation at the final whistle.

Abafana Besthende went into the match with confidence after winning the first leg in Atteridgeville. However, Sundowns’ strength in the return fixture ultimately proved too much for the KwaZulu-Natal side to overcome.

Golden Arrows managed to score against a team of Sundowns’ quality, but their effort was not enough to secure progression. Dladla was left disappointed for his players, who he felt had done everything possible to keep the tie alive.

“Yes, it was a tough game because we expected everything that happened today. I think we just made some individual and technical errors and, we lost concentration when we were defending,” Dladla told SuperSport TV.

“But I believe the boys did very well and for us to come and score these goals it was something that we didn’t think we could do. I really, really feel sorry for the players they did everything that they could.

“We did discuss all the permutations before the game, even if you could remember the interview before the game, I was saying we need to treat this game in insolation because we’re anticipating scenarios like this if Sundowns score more than one goal because then the away-goal advantage is with them because we only scored one.

“But when I spoke to him, it did not know the real score of the game, he thought we were leading 3-2 and I said no it’s 3-3 meaning that an away-goal goes to them,” he added.

The late stages of the match were marked by uncertainty after Philani Khumalo scored for Golden Arrows. The goal prompted wild celebrations, and several minutes were lost before the players could return to the centre circle.

Those moments could have been used to restart the match immediately, but Golden Arrows did not do so. The confusion appeared to underline the importance of the away-goal calculation, with the aggregate score level at 3-3 and Sundowns holding the advantage because they had scored more away from home.

Dladla said the technical area understood that another goal was still required after Khumalo’s strike and attempted to push the team forward during the remaining minutes.

“Like I said we were concentrated on the bench, we knew that we needed another goal after that one, so we were trying to push them even those few minutes that we played we were trying to tell them let’s have more bodies up front.

“Let’s go to advanced areas, but I think we can’t falter anything, it was not meant for us to go through, but the boys did very well,” Dladla said.

The result means Mamelodi Sundowns have set up an MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates, while Golden Arrows’ campaign has ended despite their strong first-leg position and determined response in the return fixture.