Pirates are still missing a wad of clear-cut chances

Josef Zinnbauer (right) is hopeful Cape Town City will offer Orlando Pirates a little more space to attack when the two teams meet in the DStv Premiership on Saturday.

Against Baroka FC this weekend, the Buccaneers battled to create too many clear-cut chances, especially in the second half at Orlando Stadium, when the away team took the lead and mainly sat in, prepared to hit Pirates on the break.

In the end, Pirates ground out a point with a stoppage-time strike from substitute Tshegofatso Mabasa, but if Zinnbauer’s

side remain unbeaten this season, it was still two points dropped in the early stages of the title race.

“We needed the three points but you cannot say this team doesn’t believe,” said Zinnbauer on the late equaliser.

“For us, one point, I agree is not enough, but the next game against Cape Town City is another game against another opponent with a different style, and maybe it will be easier for us. Today we lost two points but maybe we also won one point.”

Nevertheless, three draws in five league games is not exactly the stuff of champions, especially with Mamelodi Sundowns already setting a ferocious pace at the top of the table.

Pirates were on top for much of the game against Baroka, but didn’t exactly create a raft of chances, and failed to hit the target when opportunities did come their way.

“We had opportunities to score in the first half, maybe we didn’t make too many…we came out in the second half and got an unlucky goal,” added Zinnbauer, in reference to Richard Ofori’s rare clanger, dropping the ball at the feet of Ananias Gebhardt, who accepted the gift to put Baroka in front.

“The goal changed the structure of the opponents a bit. They played a very different second half and for us it was not so easy to find a solution.”

Pirates at least have a week to prepare for City, with a few days away from playing surely a relief to all, following a crazy schedule already in 2020.