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Johannesburg - Ruud Krol says the playing surface at the FNB Stadium prevented the Soweto derby from being an even greater spectacle.
Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs were greeted by what has been described as a "discoloured field" with brown patches after rock band U2 staged a concert earlier this month.
Despite this, the PSL's chief operations officer Professor Ronnie Schloss gave the pitch the thumbs up three days before the match.
Krol felt the 92 000-crowd were robbed of what could even have been a more entertaining encounter had a better field been provided.
The surface was relayed after the U2 concert at a cost of an estimated R1.5 million, but it appeared the money was not well spent.
"If you play a top match like that on that field you have to say it was a disaster for both teams," said Krol.
"A top match must have a top pitch and for sure the pitch was not top," added the Dutchman, with his counterpart Vladimir Vermezovic nodding in agreement.
The cabbage patch aside, both coaches commended the fans for their spirit of ubuntu.
Krol said: "In other countries there is a fight even before this kind of match starts, but here you saw it that whether you are winning or losing it was still a football party and that is good to see."
Vermezovic, when asked by a visiting British television crew how he felt about the derby, insisted Europe and other parts of the world can learn from the Soweto showdown.
"When I came here I was told that football is a sport of black people and rugby is a sport for white people, but I can see a lot of white people in football games these days," he said.
"It is also nice to see two different groups of supporters enjoying the match sitting together and that is something that Europe and the world can learn from South Africa.
"Definitely, after the World Cup football in South Africa is not the same anymore... it has improved even outside the field of play," Vermezovic concluded.
Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs were greeted by what has been described as a "discoloured field" with brown patches after rock band U2 staged a concert earlier this month.
Despite this, the PSL's chief operations officer Professor Ronnie Schloss gave the pitch the thumbs up three days before the match.
Krol felt the 92 000-crowd were robbed of what could even have been a more entertaining encounter had a better field been provided.
The surface was relayed after the U2 concert at a cost of an estimated R1.5 million, but it appeared the money was not well spent.
"If you play a top match like that on that field you have to say it was a disaster for both teams," said Krol.
"A top match must have a top pitch and for sure the pitch was not top," added the Dutchman, with his counterpart Vladimir Vermezovic nodding in agreement.
The cabbage patch aside, both coaches commended the fans for their spirit of ubuntu.
Krol said: "In other countries there is a fight even before this kind of match starts, but here you saw it that whether you are winning or losing it was still a football party and that is good to see."
Vermezovic, when asked by a visiting British television crew how he felt about the derby, insisted Europe and other parts of the world can learn from the Soweto showdown.
"When I came here I was told that football is a sport of black people and rugby is a sport for white people, but I can see a lot of white people in football games these days," he said.
"It is also nice to see two different groups of supporters enjoying the match sitting together and that is something that Europe and the world can learn from South Africa.
"Definitely, after the World Cup football in South Africa is not the same anymore... it has improved even outside the field of play," Vermezovic concluded.
