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Komphela blames altitude for poor results

Neville Khoza Journalist
Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela.
Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela.
Image: Veli Nhlapo /Sowetan

Steve Komphela has attributed the challenges Golden Arrows are facing to their failure to adjust to the altitude in the bio-bubble in Gauteng.

Arrows are yet to register a victory since the resumption of the Premier Soccer League matches earlier this month, with three defeats and a draw. Following their 0-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns at Dobsonville Stadium on Monday night, the Arrows coach says the fact that all three KwaZulu-Natal teams are struggling prove their difficulties to adjust in altitude.

“Maybe if you look at AmaZulu and Maritzburg United how they have been doing, even ourselves we have not been doing well,” Komphela explained.

“Could it be an issue of altitude? That is a highly scientific argument one can bring up. It should not be an excuse. But when I go back to individual matches, when you look at the games we played against Stellenbosch, who are playing a very difficult game of reinforcing defence, they make your life difficult, they defend the box like nobody else.

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“We created plenty of chances, but we couldn’t score and they had one or two chances, the second one they scored and they won the match 1-0. You put that aside and you go to Bidvest Wits match, I thought we had a good game against them and we drew that one and maybe we should have won.

“Before the Sundowns game, it was Black Leopards. We had defended the second ball better and we played well. Against Sundowns we played well, especially in defence, only to give away a goal in the end. It hasn’t been the best tournament for us since we started.”

Arrows find themselves 11th on the log table with 33 points from 27 matches, but Komphela remains optimistic that they can still finish inside the top-eight bracket with three fixtures remaining.

“For us, we’ve been in the top eight for the better part of season up until we came to Johannesburg, and we never got any results,” Komphela continued. 

Arrows next face in-form Cape Town City at Ellis Park on Saturday at 6pm.

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