How Pirates can avoid choking on the big stage again
Gavin Lane tells Bucs to take early chances
Orlando Pirates have a tendency of fumbling in cup finals even against unfancied teams, having done so on a few occasions in the past decade to quickly earn themselves the tag of chokers.
The Buccaneers have lost to teams of lesser stature, including the now-defunct Platinum Stars (twice in the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout). They lost to Moroccan lightweights RS Berkane in the CAF Confederation Cup earlier this year.
As they head into the MTN8 final against AmaZulu tomorrow, ex-defender Gavin Lane has shared his thoughts on where they may be getting it wrong. Lane, who played for both AmaZulu and Pirates, feels the approach in the past has been wrong, and that they will need to have the right mentality tomorrow.
“This AmaZulu side is not a bad side, obviously. They got a new coach and the players are trying to impress him, but the cup final can go either way,” Lane explained to Sowetan yesterday.
“You’ve got to take your opportunities and with a little bit of Lady Luck you will win the match. Hopefully, losing cup finals to lesser-known teams is in the past now that they have a new coach [Jose Riveiro].”
In most of the cup finals the Soweto giants have lost, they went into them as favourites.
They go into tomorrow’s match as favourites to lift the title and Lane has urged them to have the right mindset and not take AmaZulu lightly.
“It is all about the mindset. If the players don’t get nervous or stage fright ... as I said, take your opportunities when they come to you,” he said. “I hope Pirates do win, but it’s a cup final and anything can happen and as I said, it is about taking your opportunities.
“AmaZulu have got a new, young coach and players want to impress him and keep on playing.
“I would say this game is actually 50-50. Either side can win it. It is going to be quite a close call and hopefully, Pirates will win.
“All the players will have to believe in one another and have a winning mentality.
“Pirates were doing well before the derby [against Kaizer Chiefs where they lost 0-1] and they are back to square one. But it is all about the approach to the game and being confident,” Lane said.
Pirates in finals since 2013
2013 CAF Champions League: lost 1-3 to Al Ahly on aggregate 2014 MTN8: lost 0-1 to Kaizer Chiefs
2014 Nedbank Cup: won 3-1 against Wits
2016 Nedbank Cup: lost 2-3 to SuperSport
2015 CAF Confederation Cup: lost 0-1 to Etoile du Sahel
2017 Nedbank Cup: lost 1-4 to SuperSport
2018 Telkom Knockout: lost to Baroka on penalties
2020 MTN8: won 2-1 against Celtic
2022 CAF Confederation Cup: lost to RS Berkane on penalties