Benni slams Cape Town City's 'sloppy' defending

Cape Town - Cape Town City head coach Benni McCarthy has slammed his players for their "sloppy" defending after playing out a 3-3 draw against Supersport United in an Absa Premiership encounter in Mbombela on Saturday.

Although they scored three times away from home, the Citizens conceded goals that could easily have been avoided with a defensive unit that seems to be all over the show at the moment.

McCarthy made mention that he is missing injured central defender Taariq Fielies and will not be afraid to throw the Bafana international straight back into the mix after what has been a long lay off.

The City mentor told Supersport TV after the game: "When you play at this level, in the PSL, you get punished for being sloppy and for not being switched on.

"When Taariq Fielies comes back from injury, throw him in first time [into the starting XI], not wait for someone to make a mistake.

"I think some of my players are in a comfort zone, it's easy because they know whatever they do, they are going to play next game.

"So I can't wait for my injured players, [Roland] Putsche, Fielies, Kuadja Kouadja, I'll throw them in straight away."

City have now only once in their first five league games this season while they have also been knocked out of the MTN8, simply not good enough for a team hoping to challenge for the PSL title.

McCarthy pulled no punches when speaking about needs to happen for his players to get the right message.

He continued: "Unfortunately I can't go beat up people in the dressing room, because I wish I could put on some boxing gloves and go through a few of them, because that's what they deserve, maybe they'll wake up after that.

"I don't think these players realise and understand the opportunity they have. The hundreds of thousands, millions of players, who are dying for an opportunity like this... and then they want to give you mediocre. I can't stand for that."