Vhembe Stars Academy boss Lodwell Ziyaduma has revealed that his players will still pocket half of the R100,000 winning bonus promised before the highly anticipated Beitbridge derby against Dulibadzimu, despite the match ending in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
The encounter had all the ingredients of a derby clash, Ziyaduma was left fuming after accusing the referee of awarding Dulibadzimu a goal that should never have stood.
"The boys are going to get half of it. They played well and we all witnessed the referee awarding Dulibadzimu a goal which wasn't a goal," said Ziyaduma.
The academy boss admitted that the six-figure pledge gave the players extra motivation as they chased bragging rights against their local rivals.
"Unfortunately they couldn't win, but the money had a big impact on this game. The boys wanted it," he added.
Vhembe Stars head coach Blessing Madombi praised his side's fighting spirit but admitted they switched off at crucial moments and paid the price.
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"We did well. I can boldly say we did well. Yes, we were supposed to collect all the three points, however we went to sleep when it mattered most," said Madombi.
Despite dropping valuable points, Ziyaduma believes the performance was a sign that the team is heading in the right direction, insisting poor officiating robbed his side of a memorable victory.
"The performance shows we are in the right direction. We only had bad luck from the officials," he said.
Currently sitting 14th in the Central Region Soccer League standings, Vhembe Stars are determined to climb the table. Ziyaduma revealed that the club will strengthen the squad with under-23 players as they target a top-eight finish.
"We will sign strictly under-23 players and with our signings, we will move to a better position," said Ziyaduma.
While victory slipped through their fingers, Vhembe Stars will still walk away from the derby with a bonus reward, as attention now shifts to turning promising performances into valuable points.
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