Cape Town - Amaglug-glug head coach Owen da Gama says his players lacked "emotional intelligence" as they went down to a solitary goal against Denmark in their second match at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Da Gama always had a hard task to get the right performance from his side following their industrious 0-0 draw with hosts Brazil in their opening encounter.
While the Danes may not posses the same natural talent as their Brazilian counterparts, the organisation, strength and size of the Scandinavians was always going to make it tough for Amaglug-glug, especially coming off the back of securing their hard-fought point.
South Africa will now have to rely on Denmark if they are to sneak into the knockout phase. With Brazil drawing against Iraq in their second match, De Gama's troops will need to beat the Lions of Mesopotamia in their final group game and hope the Danes beat or draw the Brazilians.
After the match, Da Gama said: "It is no longer in our hands and we now have to see how Brazil plays against Denmark.
"How we play against Iraq is obviously very important and we have to get a win in that match. It is going to be very, very difficult. But we always believe and we always have hope."
Amaglug-glug dominated large chunks of the clash but were unable to find the target, with Robert Skov finally breaking the deadlock on 69 minutes.
Da Gama added: "It's football and we understand that sometimes you can have all the possession and you can create all the chances. I mean we hit the post two times and their goalkeeper also made some fantastic saves.
"But to be fair, Denmark created chances as well. They did create chances. I think it was not a good day in the office for us. We did not play the normal football that we play. It just reminds me of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney when we beat Brazil (3-1) and then lost to Slovakia in the next game.
"I don't know, emotional intelligence on the day, the luck, its a difficult question. But I am happy that we created the chances."
Da Gama always had a hard task to get the right performance from his side following their industrious 0-0 draw with hosts Brazil in their opening encounter.
While the Danes may not posses the same natural talent as their Brazilian counterparts, the organisation, strength and size of the Scandinavians was always going to make it tough for Amaglug-glug, especially coming off the back of securing their hard-fought point.
South Africa will now have to rely on Denmark if they are to sneak into the knockout phase. With Brazil drawing against Iraq in their second match, De Gama's troops will need to beat the Lions of Mesopotamia in their final group game and hope the Danes beat or draw the Brazilians.
After the match, Da Gama said: "It is no longer in our hands and we now have to see how Brazil plays against Denmark.
"How we play against Iraq is obviously very important and we have to get a win in that match. It is going to be very, very difficult. But we always believe and we always have hope."
Amaglug-glug dominated large chunks of the clash but were unable to find the target, with Robert Skov finally breaking the deadlock on 69 minutes.
Da Gama added: "It's football and we understand that sometimes you can have all the possession and you can create all the chances. I mean we hit the post two times and their goalkeeper also made some fantastic saves.
"But to be fair, Denmark created chances as well. They did create chances. I think it was not a good day in the office for us. We did not play the normal football that we play. It just reminds me of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney when we beat Brazil (3-1) and then lost to Slovakia in the next game.
"I don't know, emotional intelligence on the day, the luck, its a difficult question. But I am happy that we created the chances."