Milutin Sredojevic admits that he is concerned by Orlando Pirates’ below-par performance at home, urging them to turn the Orlando Stadium into a fortress.
The Buccaneers had the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Absa Premiership table this past weekend. However, they were held to 0-0 draw by a plucky Maritzburg United outfit, leaving them a point ahead of Bidvest Wits, who have two games in hand.
Micho will be hoping for another positive result in their second-leg Caf Champions League preliminary clash after thumping Light Stars 5-1 in the first leg of the encounter.
The Pirates mentor was clearly unhappy with his charges following the stalemate against Fadlu Davids’ side.
‘We did not get what we wanted to use this match as a preparation for the return leg in Seychelles and in the Telkom Knockout,’ Sredojevic told the media after the game.
‘We did not succeed. We need to go back because when it happens the first time, you say it is an accident. The second time, coincidence. But this is our fourth draw at home. We need to be self-critical and look at ourselves where is the problem.
‘Why are we not converting what we are creating? Why are we having four draws and always in those draws we are dominating teams? Those are eight points dropped in each match, two out of four.
‘And this is something we need to look at critically as the second round comes because the last match we are playing against Free State Stars.
‘We need to use Orlando stadium as a fortress where it is hard to come and hard to survive not being beaten.
‘We fired blanks in the last two matches, but in other matches we have shown that we can score. The players are working in their confidence in finishing, the angle of positioning, the technique of finishing. We believe in times ahead of us we will show some significance,’ he concluded.
Pirates resume their Caf Champions league duties tonight when they face Light Stars, with kick-off set for 7:30pm.
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