Even City and Sundowns Park the Bus: Coach Gives Hilarious Response After Draw

• Sydwell Phuravhathu has defended his team's tactics of parking the bus in order to win crucial games
• The Mpheni Home Defenders manager believes that other teams also employ similar defensive strategies
• Mpheni Home Defenders have made it to the semi-finals of the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs

Sydwell Phuravhathu doesn’t believe that there’s anything wrong with the team parking the bus.

The Mpheni Home Defenders manager defended his team’s style of play after their 1-1 draw with Orbit College.

Home Defenders from Limpopo drew with Orbit College from North West in Group C of the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs.

As noted by Far Post, Home Defenders qualified for the tournament's semi-finals by virtue of that draw. In contrast, Orbit qualified for the final four as the second-best team in the competition.

After the game, Phuravhathu delivered a hilarious interview in which he defended his team’s decision to ‘park the bus’, saying that when they did push forward, they conceded a goal.

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Football

He also questioned why when teams like Manchester City and Mamelodi Sundowns parked the bus, no one questioned it.

What is parking the bus?

As noted by Goal, the term refers to teams with many players behind the ball when not in possession, frustrating their opposition and limiting their attacking chances.

The team parking the bus generally do so when they already have a lead or are confident they can score on the counterattack. Roma manager Jose Mourinho is known to implement the style quite often.

Home Defenders’ strategy pays off

Despite the criticism of his team’s tactics, they did pay off. The side will now face Upington FC in the semi-final.

Umsinga United will take on Orbit College in the second semi-final. The two teams that make the finals will be promoted to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

Corruption in ABC Motsepe League

Stories of corruption in South African football are not new.

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A tale as old time, bribery, match-fixing and other unsavoury practices have undermined the lower rungs of the local game.

An in-depth report into the goings-on in the ABC Motsepe League has exposed how rampant match-fixing is, Sports Brief reported.