Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic has identified a number of mistakes that crept into his team’s performance in their Nedbank Cup defeat against Cape Town City that have to be ironed out when Bucs meet Lamontville Golden Arrows.
Pirates could not get a rhythm together as they capitulated 1-0 to City on a rare rainy evening at Cape Town Stadium in Wednesday night’s last-16 meeting.
The second-placed Buccaneers turn their attention back to the Absa Premiership on Saturday night‚ where they meet 10th-placed Arrows at KwaMashu’s Princess Magogo Stadium.
Sredojevic said Pirates’ aggressiveness attacking the ball at crosses and their lack of speed in their buildups were a disappointment in a cup match where Ayanda Patosi scored City’s 55th-minute winner.
The coach said even when Bucs tried to throw themselves into attack in the second half they did not create enough chances.
“We brought on three strikers. We threw everything at the opponents‚” Sredojevic said.
“Unfortunately we could not unlock their iron defence despite creating certain chances.
“We didn’t provide enough numbers in the box. And in all those crosses we have waited instead of attacking the body and the ball‚ which is demanded in a game of this magnitude.
“We waited for the ball to come to us. And this has been against maybe one of the best defensive pairings of Robyn Johannes and Taariq Fielies.
“And this Edmilson (Dove‚ City’s left-back) was gifting us balls that we did not put into our favour.
“This was how I saw it technically. We need to refocus to the league and Golden Arrows.
“There are certain things that we need to go back to the drawing board for to deeply analyse.
“There are positives that we need to take from the game. There are some negatives that we need to iron out.
“We need to have a much faster buildup‚ and a much more effective attack going forward.”
With Pirates out of the Nedbank‚ the league‚ where they are four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns‚ is now Bucs’ only chance left at silverware in 2017-18.
PSL this weekend -
Friday:
Maritzburg United v Polokwane City (Harry Gwala Stadium‚ 8pm)
Saturday:
Chippa United v Free State Stars (Sisa Dukashe Stadium‚ 3.30pm)
Kaizer Chiefs v AmaZulu (FNB Stadium‚ 6pm)
Lamontville Golden Arrows v Orlando Pirates (Princess Magogo Stadium‚ 8.15pm)
Sunday:
Bloemfontein Celtic v Platinum Stars (Dr Molemela Stadium‚ 3.30pm)
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