‘Confidence has gone to another level’: Kerr on Gallants’ Confed exploits

28 February 2023 - 17:37 By Marc Strydom
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Zineddine Belaid of USM Alger gets above the defence to score his goal in the Caf Confederation Cup match against Marumo Gallants at the Omar Hammadi Stadium in Algiers, Algiera on February 26 2023.
Zineddine Belaid of USM Alger gets above the defence to score his goal in the Caf Confederation Cup match against Marumo Gallants at the Omar Hammadi Stadium in Algiers, Algiera on February 26 2023.
Image: Djaffar LakjalBackpagePix

Marumo Gallants lost 2-0 against USM Alger on Sunday, but the confidence of the DStv Premiership’s last-placed team is going to “another level” from competing on an equal footing with top clubs in the Caf Confederation Cup, coach Dylan Kerr says.

Experience continental campaigners USM (seven points) top Group B after two wins and a draw. Tournament rookies Gallants are in second place on six points gained from two victories after their first group defeat in Algeria.

Kerr said Gallants were in no way disgraced in their first experience of playing in front of a hostile North African crowd at a packed, noisy and intimidating 40,000-seat Stade Nelson Mandela in Baraki, a suburb of Algiers.

One might have expected the bottom team in the PSL to shy from giving their best continentally as they opt to concentrate on domestic woes.

Highlights of USM Alger v Marumo Gallants in Algiers.

Kerr, though, is hoping the confidence gained from strong results in the Confed — Marumo beat Libya's Al Akhdar 4-1 at home and St Eloi Lupopo 2-1 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — will transfer to the league. 

“It was a great experience for the players,” the coach said of Sunday's game.

"[Midfielder Edgar] Manaka said to me, ‘I watched the [replay of the] game at 3am. We were intimidated and frightened. Everybody tried their best and we’re not going to have fear any more’, which is fantastic. 

“We didn’t get the result but we got something out of it.

“It’s been a great three weeks for me. Unfortunately I’m not on the bench and hopefully that will get rectified. 

“But we’re playing an exciting brand of football I hope South Africa is enjoying. To be complimented by the opposition on how we play is a credit to the the players.” 

USM led through Abderrahmane Meziane's 39th-minute opener but only got their second from Zinéddine Belaïd in the 89th.

Kerr, sitting in the stands while he awaits his work permit, might not have been able to lift Gallants from 16th place in the Premiership, but their four wins in five games in all competitions will have lifted the spirits tremendously.

The coach is looking for his team to continue giving a strong account of themselves when they meet Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup last 16 at Free State Stadium on Thursday (6pm), before a big league fixture against eighth-placed TS Galaxy at the same venue on Sunday.

“The confidence in the squad, from the past five games, has gone to another level. 

“We’ve got to concentrate on Sundowns on Thursday and then TS Galaxy, the most important game, on Sunday. 

“Because that’s where we want to focus, in the league, and then the Confederation Cup and Nedbank Cup are a bonus. 

“We’re looking forward to playing Sundowns and trying to beat them, and then trying to do the same against Galaxy. It’s called momentum, and we need momentum. 

“Even though we got beaten on Sunday these players did me proud, they did the club proud and South Africa proud. 

“A lot of people in Algiers commented so positively on how we conducted ourselves and played. 

“USM's coach [Abdelhak Ben Chikha] was telling them to keep the ball because they were tired in the last 25 minutes. 

“When we bring them to Dobsonville on a sunny afternoon in Johannesburg we’ve got to go for it and make sure we continue this journey in Confed. But our focus obviously is in the PSL.” 

Gallants host USM in the return match at Dobsonville Stadium next week Wednesday.


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