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Cape Town - SuperSport United coach Kaitano Tembo has hailed the impact made by Thamsanqa Gabuza off the bench after the 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Tembo replaced Sipho Mbule with Gabuza in the 55th minute as Matsatsantsa started using a more direct approach - playing long balls to the target-man, with SuperSport quickest to react to the second ball.
The visitors would eventually wear Chiefs down, with Gabuza playing the killer through ball for Grobler to equalise after Samir Nurkovic had given the Amakhosi an early lead.
"When we brought on Gabuza he gave them problems because Bradley could play off him. Whereas in the first half Bradley was a bit isolated.
"But I will take a point. I think a draw is a fair reflection of the game. I think we struggled with the ball over the top. With Nurkovic, a different type of player, strong in the air. He was winning everything."
The Matsatsantsa mentor admitted that his side were second-best in the first half, but that they improved markedly in the second period.
"We had a poor first-half," said Tembo.
"We were second to everything. They were a bit more adventurous than us while we were a bit slow to get out of the blocks.
"But second half we were better. We created enough chances like them. I think we could have stolen it at the death."
And the men from Pretoria could have won it when they were awarded a penalty in the 93rd minute. But Grobler's spot-kick was saved by Daniel Akpeyi.
When asked about Grobler's penalty miss, Tembo responded:
"It happens. Even the best players all over the world miss penalties. Pogba missed a penalty this week. So, for me, I look at the overall performance. I think he had a very good game."
