PIRATES PUT SEKHUKHUNE UNDER PRESSURE AGAIN

Sekhukhune United were floored once again by the mighty Orlando Pirates.
It was three days ago when Pirates called them to order at the packed Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

Pirates did the same thing again today by thrashing them 2-0 at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

Sekhukhune will go into their final match of the three this coming Saturday with hope of getting something out of the treble of matches, although it won’t be easy for them without their head coach, Cedric Kaze, who was shown a red card this evening by the referee Philangenkosi Khumalo for something he might have said that angered the referee.

But according to Sekhukhune assistant coach Paulus Masehe, their boys did exceptionally well today.

“Our game plan worked wonderfully well, as we expected, maybe to make sure that we get in around them, and we created chances from that. And I think it’s more about just being clinical in the final third. That is the missing puzzle in how we play.

“Because the performance from Saturday and the performance from today, it’s a bit different for us. And it shows that at least the guys have developed much better confidence to be able to take the game to Pirates,” he said, adding that it was only two minor mistakes they made at the back that cost them two goals.

“There was an individual error, if I can put it like that, from our defender, because the situation could have been dealt with ease. We managed to give the goal away, and we knew that if you give a goal away at Orlando as early as that moment, then it’s going to be a problem because they will then be able to control the tempo of the game,” said Masehe.

Sekhukhune created scoring chances as well, but the two chances that they could have converted from the crosses were never capitalised on.

“We were not as clinical as we were supposed to be inside the box. Then, second half, we pushed, we pinned them in their half, and though we didn’t create as many clear-cut chances as we would have wanted to, the longer it had stayed, maybe if it had stayed 1-0, the better the chance we were going to stand to get back into the game.”

Orlando Pirates won the match 2-0 and, going into the last game on Saturday in the MTN8, the pressure will be on the away side as they have to produce the result.

It’s rare to see Pirates lose a match at Esgodini, and they are going to continue where they left off today. Everyone is looking forward to what promises to be an exciting final leg of the MTN8 semi-final.

On the other side, Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was happy with the victory at home, especially with Radiopane scoring a goal and making an assist.

“We completely didn’t have any control in the heart of the game, in the middle. It’s where the game is important to create chances and to masterise the game,” said Ouaddou.

“We tried just to make some adjustments, tactical adjustments, asking our defence to be a little bit closer to our midfielders.

“So, yeah, it was a little, slightly better. Slightly better in the second half, 0-0. But, to be honest, I think it’s not a game that will stay in the memories.

“The only positive is these three points and the goal of Radiopane. I’m very happy for him. I hope it will give him trust and confidence,” Ouaddou said.