Pirates welcome mini break for title assault
Micho guns for Champs League
With their next match in nine day, some would argue this inaction could prove detrimental to Orlando Pirates’ new-found rhythm in the run-in to the Absa Premiership title. However, after beating Free State Stars 2-1 at the weekend, thanks to goals from Musa Nyatama and Justin Shonga, Pirates coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic sounded rather pleased at this short hiatus, vowing to use it to prepare for their trip to KwaZulu-Natal to face Maritzburg United on April 24.
“We shall use these 10 days to recover … to prepare, we’re going to Harry Gwala to play against Maritzburg. They are looking at the last straw in order to survive.
“For us, we shall play our usual game, defend by possessing,” said Sredojevic on Saturday.
“We know it’s not a pleasant stadium to go and play at. No team goes there [to Harry Gwala] and it be a walk in the park. Players see every match as a cup final.”
Giving a good account of themselves in the title race, table-toppers Pirates have won all their last three matches against Bidvest Wits, Black Leopards and Stars respectively. Bucs’ recent impressive form has seen them reach the 50-point mark, going six points clear of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns. However, Downs are behind schedule in the domestic league, with three matches in hand. This is because of their participation in the CAF Champions League, where they have been since drawn against Moroccan powerhouse Wydad Casablanca in the semifinals.
As per usual, Sredojevic deviated from the title talk and stated they just aim to secure their berth in the next edition of the Champions League, a statement that implies they are merely targeting to finish as runners-up.
“We want [the] second consecutive time to bring Pirates back to the Champions League. Whatever else comes, we shall see,” he noted.
Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic and his Mamelodi Sundowns counterpart Pitso Mosimane are the only two best coaches on the African continent, the rest must just watch and learn from the duo. This is the sentiment of Free State Stars coach Nikola Kavazovic after their 2-1 defeat to Pirates at the weekend. While the result saw Bucs move six points clear of second-placed Downs, it cast doubts on the 15th-positioned Ea Lla Koto’s survival hopes. “From my point of view, Sredojevic and Mosimane are the two best coaches in Africa,” Kavazovic asserted. “They do not have competition… maybe Patrice Carteron [of Moroccan side Raja Casablanca] is closest to them. The rest of us need to watch and learn.”
The Stars coach escalated his admiration of his countryman, Sredojevic, and Mosimane by insisting the title race was now between Bucs and Downs, writing off other challengers such as Bidvest Wits, SuperSport United and Cape Town City. “They are [the] only two contenders.”