Kruger United boss Mongoya urges patience after winless start

Kruger United coach Abram Mongoya says his side are making progress in the Premiership despite beginning the season without a victory in five matches.

The newly promoted club remain at the bottom of the league table with one point after losing four games and drawing once. Their latest setback came on Tuesday, when Orlando Pirates won 4-0 at Mbombela Stadium.

Mongoya has asked supporters to remain patient and believes Kruger United will soon improve their results. He said the players, coaching staff and club management must continue to believe in the process as the team adapts to life in the top flight.

“Yes, I think the boys must trust the process; the technical staff must never doubt. Hopefully, the management will also stick to what we’re trying to do because there’s progress from our first game to where we are now,” Mongoya told SuperSport TV after the game.

Kruger United had opportunities to change the course of the match while they were only a goal behind, but failed to take them. Mongoya said those missed chances proved costly, with Orlando Pirates taking control after the break and scoring three more times.

The coach pointed to his team’s first-half performance as evidence that they are capable of competing, despite the result. He said Kruger United had more than 60% possession and created over four chances before half-time, while Orlando Pirates had only two opportunities.

“I can promise game number eight, ten we will turn things around because we just need one victory. For me, you look at the numbers at halftime [in the match against Bucs]: you’re above 60-something per cent in ball possession, you’ve got more than four chances created versus a team like that, and they get only two chances,” he said.

Mongoya added that his players must become more clinical when opportunities arise, particularly against opponents who can punish mistakes.

“You need to be very decisive with the little chances that you get.”

Kruger United’s next fixture will be the Mpumalanga derby against TS Galaxy on 13 September. The match will provide another opportunity for Mongoya’s team to claim their first Premiership win since securing promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship last season.

The coach remains confident that one positive result could change the team’s momentum and help deliver the improvement he expects by the later stages of the campaign.

Kruger United’s difficult start has left them with little margin for error, but Mongoya believes the underlying performances show that the side are moving in the right direction. He is now looking for greater efficiency in front of goal and continued support from the club’s management and fans.

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