Cape Town City players react after the PSL Promotion Playoff game between Cape Town City and Magesi FC at Athlone Stadium on Wednesday.
Image: Nic Bothma/BackpagePix
Cape Town City FC coach Jan Vreman was left to rue a host of missed chances as his team’s bid to be promoted to the Betway Premiership came to a close at Athlone Stadium this week.
City are out of the running after managing just one victory, a draw, and two defeats in the four PSL promotion play-off matches.
It could, however, have been so different had the Citizens taken their chances over the course of the four matches, starting with teenager Emile Witbooi’s glaring miss in the opening game against Milford FC.
It set the tone for the remainder of the play-offs, as City squandered numerous opportunities.
“The most difficult part of football is scoring goals, and you see it every game with us. But also, with the opportunity they have, also problems, they get also chances,” Vreman told Sabc TV.
“It's about making goals, and I think it was possible.”
The Dutch mentor believed City enjoyed a solid season, finishing second in the ABC Motsepe League, but it was not enough to get them back among the elite.
“If I'm looking at the whole season, I'm very disappointed in the play-offs,” he said. “It was not what we wanted.
“But if you're looking at the whole season, we ended second on the table. That's not bad, but you don't have a prize. It's a little bit frustrating because it was a good season that we played, but yeah, no prize.”
Vreman is, however, not giving up hope that he can lead City back to the Premiership.
“We have to do it again, and we showed already that we can,” he said. “We ended second on the table, and I think there is more.
“The players can get better, they can grow, and yeah, there's a process and you have to believe in it, and I think it's possible to do it.”
Cape Town City’s inability to win promotion leaves Stellenbosch FC as the sole Western Cape club in the Betway Premiership. City will, though, be joined by fellow Cape Town team Hope FC—which is owned by former Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu midfielder Keagan Buchanan—in the ABC Motsepe League next season.