Maritzburg United coach Eric Tinkler believes their tight defence has been key to recent results, but warns that a tight backline alone will not suffice to carry them through the entire season.
The Team of Choice have a great chance to reach the Telkom Knockout semi-finals on Friday when they host Highlands Park at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.
United have three straight clean sheets in the Absa Premiership and boast the joint best backline in the country, alongside log leaders Kaizer Chiefs and Bidvest Wits in third. Tinkler admits this has been key to their current four-game winning streak.
Tinkler’s charges are currently flying high. They are up to ninth on the league standings following those triple wins and reached the last eight of the League Cup by ousting giants Bidvest Wits on penalties in the previous round.
All this after a troubled start to 2019/20 where they failed to win any of their first five games.
However, reaching the next round of the TKO has not been easy, according to the coach.
Tinkler’s comments are in relation to their attack. Despite the current good run, all three of their league wins have been by 1-0 scorelines, meaning that goals are in short supply up front.
Highlands, meanwhile, are no mugs having surged to fourth on the table in recent weeks. Owen Da Gama’s side have netted 12 times already, six times via the league’s top-score in Peter Shalulie, while they were runners-up in the MTN8 final a few weeks back. Tinkler expects a real grind against the Lions of the North.
Maritzburg have an incredible record at the Harry Gwala Stadium , where they have not lost since 2017.
It is a run that stretches back 14 matches and the United boss is keeping his fingers crossed for another good showing this time around at a venue which is amongst the best attended in the country for home matches. – Report by Thahir Asmal
? Coach Eric Tinkler
“We have to take advantage of the home draw…”
Press play to hear coach Tinkler’s thoughts ahead of our #TKO19 Q-F clash against @HighlandsP_FC on Friday night. #WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/jHwM9a2E5n
— Maritzburg United FC (@MaritzburgUtd) October 31, 2019
