Share

Barker wants clinical finishing

Johannesburg - Uncle and nephew, Clive and Steve Barker, were left frustrated after their teams Mpumalanga Black Aces and University of Pretoria failed to find the back of the net, despite creating multiple chances in their encounter on Saturday night.

Both team's goalkeepers Washington Arubi (Tuks) and Energy Murambadoro (Aces) did well to pull off some fine saves as the sides settled for a goalless draw in their Premiership clash at the Mbombela Stadium.

Aces coach Clive believed the strikers of both teams needed some introspection if they were to remain competitive in the season.

"We all just watched the World Cup and we saw how clinical the finishes were, and there's been a lot of goals scored in our domestic league," he said.

"A couple of players today would have looked at themselves and said, 'We could have got the three points, had I side-footed the ball instead of trying to blast it'."

Steve meanwhile was also disappointed with his strike force, though he was satisfied with his team's all-round effort.

"I think it was a performance full of commitment and hard work, once again, from our players," he said.

"In the 90 minutes we probably created the better chances, but we need to be more clinical and ruthless when we've got teams on the back foot, and there were stages when we were on top of the opposition.

"We need to take the opportunities that are given to us, but overall I think it was a tight match and it could have gone either way."

Tuks shot stopper Arubi, who was man-of-the-match, was pleased to keep out the opposition for the first time in five league matches this season.

"It was a tough game for both teams," Arubi said.

"They were trying to come at us goalkeepers, but at least both of us managed to keep a clean sheet."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE