Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler expressed frustration and used expletives after his side conceded all three goals from set pieces against Golden Arrows in their Betway Premiership match on Saturday.

City struggled to deal with the initial cross, which was headed down by Ryan Moon. Themba Mantshinyane capitalized on the loose ball to open the scoring. Moon then turned from provider to scorer, heading home a cross from Siyanda Mthanti to double the lead.

City mounted a comeback in the second half, with goals from Gabriel Amato and substitute Amadou Soukouna. However, they could not hold on to the draw, as Nqobeko Dlamini restored Arrows’ advantage with a goal from a defensive lapse.

Tinkler was visibly upset with his team’s performance, particularly their defending of set pieces. “People weren’t aggressive enough,” he said. “You can’t just watch the ball; you have to attack it. You need to win the first ball, the second ball, and the third ball. It’s simple.”

He added, “All three goals came from second-phase play. The first goal, the ball bounced three times, and nobody cleared it. There was no aggression from set pieces, and no one took responsibility.”

While City are not in immediate danger of relegation, Tinkler acknowledged his concern over the team’s inconsistent form. “I’ve been worried since day one,” he said. “We’re judged on our results, whether we win or lose. When we lose, I worry.”

Despite signing several high-profile players during the off-season, City have struggled to find their rhythm and currently sit in 11th place in the league. Soukouna, one of the new signings, impressed after coming on as a substitute, but Tinkler emphasized the importance of defending set pieces.

“I’m changing my system because it suits one guy. Does it suit everyone? No,” Tinkler replied. 

“I brought him in because I thought it was the right moment. Did he get the goal? Was it the right decision? Yes.  

“But the fact is, you got to defend the f***n corner. It’s as simple as that.”