Denis Onyango will aim to redeem himself in Wednesday’s Fifa Club Wold Cup fifth-place playoff against Jeonduk Hyundai Motors having admitted he let Mamelodi Sundowns down in their opening defeat against Kashima Antlers.
Big Ugandan goalkeeper Onyango rather weakly allowed Yasushi Endo’s tame shot in off his legs in Sundowns and Southern Africa’s debut at the Club World Cup‚ where they showed inexperience on the stage to lose the quarterfinal 2-0.
It would be unfair to try to put any measure of blame on Onyango for the defeat‚ though.
Winger Endo’s goal came in a period where Antlers had awoken from a tame first half and were running Downs’ defence ragged.
Two previous chances had been cleared off the line during the J-League champions’ 15-minute blitz coming back from the break.
It’s a heavy burden to carry when you know you made a mistake that played a part in disappointment not just for Downs‚ but also the country and Africa‚ even if the players who missed a string of chances bare just as much responsibility.
“The expectations were high‚ but we let the country down and we let the continent down‚” Onyango admitted.
“We need to move on but it’s a learning lesson for us. I think the next game will be much better.
“We could have taken our chances‚ but we let in a soft goal. Antlers’ experience showed – Japanese teams have been here a couple of times.
“It’s a lesson for us that we must carry that to the next game.
“Definitely I was disappointed with myself‚ because I think I could have done better with that save.
“The ball bounced in a very funny way‚ but it’s not an excuse. I think I should have done better for the team and I let the guys down.”
Onyango said Downs knew they had to take their early chances against a side who had displayed an ability to fight back from tough situations in their games coming into the quarterfinal‚ including coming back from a goal down in their 2-1 playoff match win against Auckland City.
“We expected them to play the way they played.
“It was one of those games where if you don’t take your chances they punish you‚” the big Ugandan goalkeeper said.
“It shows that the level that Antlers play on is different from the level that we play on in Africa.
“They knew how to play the game and when they got their chances they buried them.
“We must pick the positives from the game and forget the negatives. We still have big games to play and if we dwell on it we will just be burying (ourselves).”
Asian champions Jeonduk of South Korea lost 2-1 against Mexico’s Club America in their quarterfinal.
The playoff for fifth kicks off at 4.30pm Japanese time‚ 9.30am SA time‚ at Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
"We let the country down and we let the continent down” - Onyango
Big Ugandan goalkeeper Onyango rather weakly allowed Yasushi Endo’s tame shot in off his legs in Sundowns and Southern Africa’s debut at the Club World Cup‚ where they showed inexperience on the stage to lose the quarterfinal 2-0.
It would be unfair to try to put any measure of blame on Onyango for the defeat‚ though.
Winger Endo’s goal came in a period where Antlers had awoken from a tame first half and were running Downs’ defence ragged.
Two previous chances had been cleared off the line during the J-League champions’ 15-minute blitz coming back from the break.
It’s a heavy burden to carry when you know you made a mistake that played a part in disappointment not just for Downs‚ but also the country and Africa‚ even if the players who missed a string of chances bare just as much responsibility.
“The expectations were high‚ but we let the country down and we let the continent down‚” Onyango admitted.
“We need to move on but it’s a learning lesson for us. I think the next game will be much better.
“We could have taken our chances‚ but we let in a soft goal. Antlers’ experience showed – Japanese teams have been here a couple of times.
“It’s a lesson for us that we must carry that to the next game.
“Definitely I was disappointed with myself‚ because I think I could have done better with that save.
“The ball bounced in a very funny way‚ but it’s not an excuse. I think I should have done better for the team and I let the guys down.”
Onyango said Downs knew they had to take their early chances against a side who had displayed an ability to fight back from tough situations in their games coming into the quarterfinal‚ including coming back from a goal down in their 2-1 playoff match win against Auckland City.
“We expected them to play the way they played.
“It was one of those games where if you don’t take your chances they punish you‚” the big Ugandan goalkeeper said.
“It shows that the level that Antlers play on is different from the level that we play on in Africa.
“They knew how to play the game and when they got their chances they buried them.
“We must pick the positives from the game and forget the negatives. We still have big games to play and if we dwell on it we will just be burying (ourselves).”
Asian champions Jeonduk of South Korea lost 2-1 against Mexico’s Club America in their quarterfinal.
The playoff for fifth kicks off at 4.30pm Japanese time‚ 9.30am SA time‚ at Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos