JOHANNESBURG – Orlando Pirates simply lack the killer instinct.
That was the best way for coach Micho Sredojevic to summarise his side’s latest setback, a 2-2 draw at home against Cape Town City after they led 2-0 at half time at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night.
Pirates appeared to be in cruise control following goals from striker Augustine Mulenga and leftback Innocent Maela.
City fought back with two goals by Ayanda Patosi. The result meant the Buccaneers couldn’t close the gap on leaders Bidvest Wits and had yet again failed to win at home.
“We started the game the way we wanted,” said a dejected Sredojevic. “Everything went our way and we had the chances to kill off the game. And during half time we insisted on two aspects: to respect our performance by continuing in the same fashion, being aware that the opponent would have been invited to come out because of the scoreline.
Ben Motshwari of Orlando Pirates is challenged by Roland Putsche of Cape Town City at the Orlando Stadium. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
We had an agreement that we will not be complacent because 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline in football - you think you have something, and then you don’t.”
The Serbian could not explain how his men failed to deal with both goals from Patosi and still go on to miss more chances.
“All of us have faces that are telling a thousand stories. We are very disappointed that we practically had them on the hook and allowed them off the hook,” the coach said.
“We have learnt a hard lesson in the game of football that you can never think you are controlling the situation - it’s like fish, one moment you think you have it and the next it slips out. The game is played from the first to the final minute. We have no right to bring ourselves in a position like this one.”
Away to Baroka tomorrow afternoon Pirates will have to rectify their mistakes, keep it tight at the back and take their opportunities.
“We need to have better match management,” Sredojevic insisted. “What we need to fix is to be mentally strong because our fitness is not the issue.
We need to be technically effective in order to bury the game and put it beyond the opponent's reach.”