Kwame Peprah may appear to be Orlando Pirates’ first-choice striker, but coach Mandla Ncikazi isn’t convinced the Buccaneers have found the right balance in relation to utilising their forwards.
Pirates reverted to their usual one-striker formation when they beat Swazi side Royal Leopards 3-0 in their fourth CAF Confederation Cup Group B clash at Orlando Stadium on Sunday. Peprah, 21, was once again the preferred marksman to spearhead the attack.
Last Wednesday against Marumo Gallants in the Nedbank Cup last 16, where they lost on penalties to exit the competition, Pirates started with two strikers in Peprah and Zakhele Lepasa, but the system never really worked.
Ncikazi has acknowledged they’re yet to find a right formula upfront.
“You can see that we’re a team that has instability up front. You can look at the changes…in the previous match we played Peprah and Lepasa and today [on Sunday] we played Peprah first half as one striker and we changed him at halftime. We’re just missing one part, we’re not scoring goals,’’ said Ncikazi.
“If you have to look at all our games against Golden Arrows, Cape Town City, Kaizer Chiefs ... we deserved to win because we created more chances than them. When you set-up your team you want to create chances and score but scoring is missing in our play.”
The Buccaneers are blessed with six strikers in Peprah, Lepasa, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Gabadinho Mhango and prodigy Boitumelo Radiopane in their 2021/22 season's roster.
Fortune Makaringe, Kabelo Dlamini and Dzvukamanja were all on target for Pirates against Leopards. The win put pool leaders Pirates on nine points, two ahead of Algerian side JS Saoura and Al-Ittihad of Libya, who are tied on points but separated by goal ratio in the second and third spots respectively. Leopards are bottom with no point.
In their last two games, the Sea Robbers will face Saoura away this Sunday and host the Libyans on April 3. Pirates have since switched their focus to the DStv Premiership, facing SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium tomorrow night (7.30pm).
Bucs still searching for answers up front
Scoring is missing in our play – Ncikazi
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Kwame Peprah may appear to be Orlando Pirates’ first-choice striker, but coach Mandla Ncikazi isn’t convinced the Buccaneers have found the right balance in relation to utilising their forwards.
Pirates reverted to their usual one-striker formation when they beat Swazi side Royal Leopards 3-0 in their fourth CAF Confederation Cup Group B clash at Orlando Stadium on Sunday. Peprah, 21, was once again the preferred marksman to spearhead the attack.
Last Wednesday against Marumo Gallants in the Nedbank Cup last 16, where they lost on penalties to exit the competition, Pirates started with two strikers in Peprah and Zakhele Lepasa, but the system never really worked.
Ncikazi has acknowledged they’re yet to find a right formula upfront.
“You can see that we’re a team that has instability up front. You can look at the changes…in the previous match we played Peprah and Lepasa and today [on Sunday] we played Peprah first half as one striker and we changed him at halftime. We’re just missing one part, we’re not scoring goals,’’ said Ncikazi.
“If you have to look at all our games against Golden Arrows, Cape Town City, Kaizer Chiefs ... we deserved to win because we created more chances than them. When you set-up your team you want to create chances and score but scoring is missing in our play.”
The Buccaneers are blessed with six strikers in Peprah, Lepasa, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Gabadinho Mhango and prodigy Boitumelo Radiopane in their 2021/22 season's roster.
Fortune Makaringe, Kabelo Dlamini and Dzvukamanja were all on target for Pirates against Leopards. The win put pool leaders Pirates on nine points, two ahead of Algerian side JS Saoura and Al-Ittihad of Libya, who are tied on points but separated by goal ratio in the second and third spots respectively. Leopards are bottom with no point.
In their last two games, the Sea Robbers will face Saoura away this Sunday and host the Libyans on April 3. Pirates have since switched their focus to the DStv Premiership, facing SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium tomorrow night (7.30pm).
Broos' squad of huge contradictions
Mosimane suggests blame for lack of VAR in Champions League lies with Motsepe
Orlando Pirates suspend player who was ‘charged at police station’
Sundowns will ‘work with police’ to punish fans who delayed Al Ahly bus
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos