Vusumuzi Vilakazi warns Richards Bay goalkeeper Salim Magoola after costly error
17th March 2024
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Richards Bay coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi has warned goalkeeper Salim Magoola about his costly decision in their 3-1 Nedbank Cup defeat to SuperSport United.
With just minutes remaining before full time and The Natal Rich Boys chasing to level the score, Magoola rushed to the opposition box after his side won a corner kick, but Matsatsantsa hit them on the counter having overturned possession.
SuperSport added another goal to put the game beyond Richards Bay’s reach, and Vilakazi was visibly irritated with his keeper.
"This must be a lesson for him. I've had one where someone, I'm not going to mention the name and he said this thing does happen but once in a while. So, if he took a decision today, he must just make sure that next time he doesn't do the very same mistake. I think it's gonna be a great lesson for him," Vilakazi said.
Given this was a cup tie, Vilakazi was willing to let Magoola off the hook.
But he is not expecting the same erratic behaviour in the DStv Premiership where the margins are thin and Richards Bay are fighting to retain their status.
"Obviously it's not as if it was a winning goal, so I could have been upset that maybe we got the game and this is what you do, so it was 2-1, we were desperately trying to do something. Even as coaches sometimes we make decisions where we put a defender in front when it's the last minutes of the game because you are hoping for something. So, I think it's a decision that he took, he must just learn from it," Vilakazi added.
The bigger picture for Richards Bay is to stay up, but Vilakazi felt a few of his players were below par in the loss to SuperSport.
"Allowing SuperSport to score two goals was just uncalled for because we were making things very difficult for ourselves. We needed to double the effort in terms of making sure that we come back equalise and win the game. So, it was gonna very difficult but I felt when the score was 2-0, I felt that maybe let me give other players a chance. Obviously as much as we wanted to advance but we're still looking at the bigger picture of making sure that we stay in the PSL."
