Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer made excuses for his team’s failure to pick up the three points in the Soweto derby against Swallows.
Bucs dropped two points in their 1-1 draw against the newly promoted Swallows at home at the weekend.
But the German tactician blamed the state of the pitch for his team’s disappointing performance. But the conditions were the same for everyone on the day. Bucs played their fifth draw this season, and three of them were at home. Baroka, Stellenbosch, and Swallows all held them to a 1-1 draw at the Orlando Stadium.
The Buccaneers face newcomers Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at the Thohoyandou Stadium in Venda tomorrow (5pm).The absence of strikers Zakhele Lepasa and Tshegofatso Mabasa due to injury did not help their cause as goals seem to have dried up.
“The weather was not great, and it was the last thing that we needed. The pitch was wet and slippery, and it counted against us as we could not play our normal game of football,” said a frustrated Zinnbauer.
Bucs had a case for a penalty in the second half but the referee, Jelly Chavani, booked Fortune Makaringe for diving.
“We made one mistake and got punished for it. We wasted numerous goal-scoring opportunities in the second half. We tried to defend in stoppage time by bringing in two players but we failed to see the game out,” Zinnbauer said. The decision not to award the penalty upset the German mentor but he rued the missed opportunities in the second half.
“It is easy to talk about the penalty, but we did not get it, and there is nothing we can do. I thought it was a penalty, but we should have taken our chances. I am upset that we failed to win, but we have another opportunity to try and win the next game. We have to work on our defence and improve upfront. We needed to defend to win the game and we failed to do that,” said Zinnbauer.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: AmaZulu v Chiefs, Kings Park Stadium, 3pm; SuperSport v Celtic, Lucas Moripe Stadium, 5pm; Tshakhuma v Pirates, Thohoyandou Stadium, 5pm
Saturday: SuperSport v Sundowns, Lucas Moripe Stadium, 3pm; Arrows v Tshakuma, Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium, 3pm; TS Galaxy v Chippa, Mbombela Stadium, 3.30pm; Celtic v Stellenbosch, Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium, 3.30pm; Cape Town City v Chiefs, Cape Town Stadium, 5pm; Baroka v Swallows, Peter Mokaba Stadium, 5pm
Sunday: AmaZulu v Maritzburg, Kings Park Stadium, 3.30pm; Leopards v Pirates, Thohoyandou Stadium, 3.30pm.
Coach rues wasted chances
Zinnbauer blames wet pitch as Pirates misfire
Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer made excuses for his team’s failure to pick up the three points in the Soweto derby against Swallows.
Bucs dropped two points in their 1-1 draw against the newly promoted Swallows at home at the weekend.
But the German tactician blamed the state of the pitch for his team’s disappointing performance. But the conditions were the same for everyone on the day. Bucs played their fifth draw this season, and three of them were at home. Baroka, Stellenbosch, and Swallows all held them to a 1-1 draw at the Orlando Stadium.
The Buccaneers face newcomers Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at the Thohoyandou Stadium in Venda tomorrow (5pm).The absence of strikers Zakhele Lepasa and Tshegofatso Mabasa due to injury did not help their cause as goals seem to have dried up.
“The weather was not great, and it was the last thing that we needed. The pitch was wet and slippery, and it counted against us as we could not play our normal game of football,” said a frustrated Zinnbauer.
Bucs had a case for a penalty in the second half but the referee, Jelly Chavani, booked Fortune Makaringe for diving.
“We made one mistake and got punished for it. We wasted numerous goal-scoring opportunities in the second half. We tried to defend in stoppage time by bringing in two players but we failed to see the game out,” Zinnbauer said. The decision not to award the penalty upset the German mentor but he rued the missed opportunities in the second half.
“It is easy to talk about the penalty, but we did not get it, and there is nothing we can do. I thought it was a penalty, but we should have taken our chances. I am upset that we failed to win, but we have another opportunity to try and win the next game. We have to work on our defence and improve upfront. We needed to defend to win the game and we failed to do that,” said Zinnbauer.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: AmaZulu v Chiefs, Kings Park Stadium, 3pm; SuperSport v Celtic, Lucas Moripe Stadium, 5pm; Tshakhuma v Pirates, Thohoyandou Stadium, 5pm
Saturday: SuperSport v Sundowns, Lucas Moripe Stadium, 3pm; Arrows v Tshakuma, Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium, 3pm; TS Galaxy v Chippa, Mbombela Stadium, 3.30pm; Celtic v Stellenbosch, Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium, 3.30pm; Cape Town City v Chiefs, Cape Town Stadium, 5pm; Baroka v Swallows, Peter Mokaba Stadium, 5pm
Sunday: AmaZulu v Maritzburg, Kings Park Stadium, 3.30pm; Leopards v Pirates, Thohoyandou Stadium, 3.30pm.