Pirates were the better team in the Soweto derby against Chiefs, says Bafana coach Broos
Kaizer Chiefs may have won the Soweto derby at the weekend but Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos believes Orlando Pirates were the better side during SA football's marquee event at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Chiefs beat the old enemy 2-1 after a brace from the irrepressible Keagan Dolly helped earn the Naturena-based side the derby bragging rights. ​Dolly's first of the afternoon came in the 49th minute after a defensive blunder from Thulani Hlatshwayo, while the second was delivered from the penalty spot after Nigerian centre-back Olisa Ndah also committed an error in the worst possible place at the most critical time of the match when he unnecessarily fouled Khama Billiat in the box in the 92nd minute.
Linda Mntambo drew Pirates level after Dolly's first goal, but Chiefs snatched the win from the penalty spot right at the death.
Broos watched the game very closely as there were several players on the pitch who are likely to play a role when Bafana hosts Zimbabwe in a 2022 World Cup qualifier at FNB Stadium on Thursday, and in the even trickier away outing against Ghana on Sunday.
The Bafana coach said while he expected the game to be a close encounter with very few clear-cut opportunities available due to the intense rivalry between the two sides, he believed Pirates had a greater grip on proceedings.
"I find Orlando Pirates were the better team and it was by a mistake of a player [Nigerian centre-back Olisa Ndah] that they lost the game," the outspoken Belgian said in his trademark candid manner.
The Belgian was happy that in-form Dolly continues to improves with each passing game and is slowly returning to the form South Africans know he is capable of.
"I was very happy again for Dolly that he scored two times, okay one a penalty, but he scored twice," Broos said.
"The confidence will be there and he can be an important player for us in the game against Zimbabwe."
Dolly joined Chiefs on a free transfer from French side Montpellier in July and has already scored five goals for Amakhosi in 10 league matches. He last played for Bafana in March when the team failed to qualify for next year's Africa Cup of Nations with former coach Molefi Ntseki at the helm.
The South Africans are one point ahead of Ghana in their World Cup qualifying group and need to beat Zimbabwe at home on Thursday, and then perhaps get a point away against the West Africans on Sunday.
The winner of the group will play a play-off against one of the nine other group winners in Caf qualifiers and if they win that play-off, they will have earned a ticket to be among the five teams that will represent the African continent in Qatar next year.