Middendorp bemoans Maritzburg United’s respect for Sundowns

Maritzburg United bagged their first points of the Premiership season after they played to a 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns, but their new head coach Ernst Middendorp wasn’t happy with his team’s start to the game.

Middendorp unhappy with Maritzburg United approach

Middendorp said after the match that he felt the Team of Choice showed too much respect to the defending champions and missed out on a chance to snatch their first victory of the campaign.

Playing as a winger Kwanda Mngonyama got an equaliser for Maritzburg United on the hour after Themba Zwane had given the champions the lead.

“Ja, I think a bit of too much respect in the beginning, we came into the second part of the first-half a bit better. Second-half I think good, more brave, after they missed a top chance on the second post but good, it is part of the game,” Middendorp told SuperSport after the game.

“I think in total the game against SuperSport was good, we continued finally to find our way out. In the moment everybody is prepared to contribute, with the analyst, really gave a good input during half-time, seeing it from the top.

“Knowing of course that some players like Kwanda [Mngonyama] has not played in a long time, I thought 70 to 75 minutes and we have to look how far it’s possible but everybody is prepared so far and I’m quite sure in the end of the season we’ll make it to come out this miserable position, I’m sure.”

Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp

Too casual

 The coach was disappointed with the manner in which United conceded that first goal, being pulled apart by the movement of Sundowns attackers.

“Ja, of course it’s a little bit of taking it too casual, taking it easy, it was possible to track this player earlier, to go a little bit more aggressive in this one against one but these are all the stuff, ja you have to come better into this game in terms of defending in terms of principles, when you have a point, when you have three points.

“At the moment it is sometimes a little bit of uncertainty, where we’re carrying around, running around on the field but as I said it’s a process, it’s a start, it’s a long way to go,” the German coach added.

Middendorp faces a challenge to improve the performance of a misfiring Maritzburg United without the benefit of further transfer activity.