Maritzburg United head coach Eric Tinkler is no stranger to reaching cup finals and winning them, and his team’s dominant 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs in the Telkom Knockout semi-final on Sunday, was just another reminder of this.
In front of a sold-out 38 000 crowd at Mbombela Stadium, the Team of Choice silenced the crowd and were in total control of the game as Tinkler outplayed and out-thought Ernst Middendorp tactically. On his first assignment as a head coach, Tinkler lost with Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup and CAF Confederation Cup finals.
But he won the TKO and MTN 8 titles with Cape Town City and SuperSport United.
Maritzburg striker Judas Moseamedi could’ve easily scored more goals had he been clinical in the final third. But coach Eric Tinkler was still full of praise for him for spearheading their attack.
One of the outstanding performers in the last eight years for Maritzburg has been the young centre-back Rushnie De Reuck. A product of the ASD Academy which also produced the likes of Ayanda Patosi, Tinkler says the 23-yeard-old is the future.
Tinkler has transformed this Maritzburg team, he joined them earlier this year when they were facing relegation and saved them during the promotion and relegation play-offs.
After a slow start, he’s picked them up this season and they are now on an eight-game unbeaten streak and also in the TKO final against Mamelodi Sundowns on the 14th of next month in Durban.
But the former Bafana defender says they want to quickly focus back on the Absa Premiership.
– Report by Velile Mnyandu
