Pirates need quick shift in focus
Orlando Pirates will have to put the heartbreak of of just missing out on the Caf Confederation Cup behind them, as they focus on their final three DStv Premiership matches, and a remaining outside chance to qualify for continental football next season.
The Buccaneers played to their season’s script against RS Berkane of Morocco on Friday in the Confederation Cup final in Uyo, Nigeria, creating enough chances to wrap up the tie, but ultimately missing out on silverware because of a lack of sharpness in front of goal.
Pirates will now take on Maritzburg United at home tomorrow, Royal AM away from home on Friday, and SuperSport United away next Monday, in games their lengthy continental campaign caused to be held back.
Currently nine points behind second-placed Cape Town City, and seven behind third-placed Stellenbosch, it is likely the Buccaneers will have to win all three of those games to make it into the Caf Champions League or Confederation Cup. Victory in the Confederation Cup would have qualified Pirates for next season’s tournament as holders.
“Our chances based on our position in the league with three games to go are very minimal,” admitted co-head coach Mandla Ncikazi, after seeing his team miss out in a penalty shootout on Friday.
“But as long as there is a chance we have to keep on fighting. We have to tell the players that they are good enough, it is just unfortunate the script has changed, we should be on the other side of the river, but we lost the match (to Berkane).”
Ncikazi could have no complaints about a lack of fair play in Uyo, and accepted that a neutral venue in Nigeria was a better bet than a two-legged final. Ncikazi was involved in a bitter war of words with Tanzania’s Simba SC, after he complained about Pirates’ treatment in the away leg of their quarterfinal.
“I think the one-legged final is more appropriate because it gives a neutral venue option, compared to a two-legged final,” added Ncikazi.
“In Africa when you go into another country (for an away game), anything is possible. The venue in Nigeria and the treatment and support we got here was appopriate. We just didn’t apply ourselves by scoring. As a set up I would still choose a final at a neutral venue.”