Derby draw hurt Bucs’ title chase
The single point that Pirates managed in Saturday’s Soweto derby was less than ideal.
For Orlando Pirates, the draw against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday was damaging to the team’s Absa Premiership campaign as their title rivals and current leaders Bidvest Wits lost to Highlands Park in the same afternoon – a win could have helped the Buccaneers cut Wits’ lead to just two points.
That would have halved the job for Pirates who have a heavy schedule ahead as the race in both the Premiership and Caf Champions League titles hots up.
But coach Micho Sredojevic was not too worried about the draw, although admitting they could have done much better.
“This was not an ordinary match for just three points, both teams showed interest in winning. We wanted to give an extraordinary performance but we didn’t. We could have covered the spaces better,” said Micho.
“There might be regrets, but football is not about what you deserve, it is what you get at the end of the day,” he added.
Afterwards Pirates flew to Tunisia where they meet Esperance in a Caf Champions League match on Saturday night. They are joint top of Group B with the Tunisian giants. They are third in the Premiership, one point behind Mamelodi Sundowns and four behind Wits.
For Chiefs, the draw was not a good result, but it was not bad either. It was not good in that it didn’t do their Premiership title ambitions any good, and it was not bad in that they ended Pirates’ winning streak in the Soweto Derby.
Before yesterday’s matches, Chiefs were fourth in the standings with 24 points, nine behind Wits with 10 matches left.
Coach Ernst Middendorp looked satisfied after the match where emotions on both benches peaked at some stages.
“It was a very intensive game against a team who are playing (Caf) Champions League and are set for the semifinals and even more, and if we are capable of such a performance tactically (against such a team). Of course I am disappointed – not with the performance but the result.
“We have had enough games now to put up a performance whether it is against Cape Town City or Sundowns. It should have been another outcome,” said the coach.
Chiefs’ next assignment is a Nedbank Cup last-16 match against ABC Motsepe League side The Magic FC at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday afternoon.
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