Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela felt his side could have beaten Mamelodi Sundowns if they had more time towards the end of the game.

Goals from Hlompho Kekana and Gaston Sirino saw Sundowns secure a 2-1 victory over Abafana Bes’thende at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Brazilians will now take on either Kaizer Chiefs or Maritzburg United I’m the final, while Arrows journey in the competition came to an end.

‘So close, so near yet so far. I thought it was classic example of we didn’t have time, if we had more [time towards the end] maybe something could have happened but I thought we had a better second-half,’ Komphela told SuperSport after the match.

‘We played much better, we were more calm, more composed, it was a Golden Arrows that we know. I thought first-half we were too anxious, too many errors, we lacked the composure to defend a free-kick.

‘Then the second goal, which classifies or characterises [the first-half performance], we were all over the box, we should have done better but second-half was much better, we enjoyed the ball, we played well, we kept the ball on the ground.

‘The only thing we did badly was when we played the ball in the air where it got lost, so you can’t play the ball in the air, the amount of time you take when penetrating on the ground is faster than when you launch because when you launch it’s 50/50 and we failed to recognise that.’

Komphela added that Sundowns were nervy at the end after Nduduzo Sibiya scores a late goal nine minutes from time.

‘Nervy for the opponent but for us we kept on pushing and as soon they got a red-card then it was clear. Again it tells you how tight these matches can be, the minute you get behind, you have more numbers, more space to utilise it. That’s where I think we failed a bit,’ he added.

‘Congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns and Pitso [Mosimane].’