Benni displeased with Usuthu’s defence after Champions League loss

AmaZulu did decently in their first Caf Champions League Group B game where they lost 1-0 to Raja Casablanca at Mohamed V Stadium in Morocco. But their coach Benni McCarthy was not a pleased man after the game as he felt they could have got a better result. 

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Usuthu stood their ground especially in the first half and had some moments where they could have scored and stolen the result. But they looked disjointed at times and allowed Raja too much space and time on the ball. 

Mohsine Moutaouali scored the winner for the hosts in the 56th minute and Usuthu could not come back from that setback. 

“We had a miscommunication in defence in terms of clearing the ball. We allowed Raja in behind and they scored the all-important goal. I think we could have done better with our defending and in attack,” said McCarthy in a post-match media conference. 

“We didn’t really test their keeper because we didn’t hit the target. In football matches you have to put the ball into the back of the net when the chances come and that didn’t happen for us. 

“And then we go and concede and they go 1-0 up and it becomes a game of delaying tactics – players going down unnecessarily, getting injured to disrupt the rhythm.

“We didn’t get to five or six moments where you could create rhythm because there was always a player down injured. That stop-start, stop-start and you can’t win the game in that situation. 

“But overall it was a good experience for us. We had a good first half and now we have work to do at home and hopefully we will take the positives from this game and get a victory.”