Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic feels their defeat to SuperSport is a huge setback in terms of the Absa Premiership title race.

The Buccaneers extended their winless run to six games across all competitions following their 1-0 defeat to SuperSport on Wednesday evening.

The defeat sees Pirates remain third on the League standings with 33 points from 20 games played so far this season.

‘It’s not pleasant to come in front of you. We had a plan to dominate possession, control the space, control the numbers. In the first half we had so many possession turnovers from the players that were banking they were going to control the game,’ Sredojevic told SuperSport TV after the match.

‘From those turnovers the opponent opened some counter-attacks. At half-time we had agreed to correct that and not allow it to happen. In the first half it was like weight of expectations, anxiety brought us to making mistakes that are not natural. It looked like we were too much under stress in any way.

‘At half-time we relaxed the situation and put on a team to play the way we know how to play – to control. Unfortunately, in a moment where we wanted to bring on the right player for (Abbubaker) Mobara, who was on a yellow card – [Asavela] Mbekile we conceded the corner kick.

‘And in that moment [after conceding the goal] we brought on players to affect the game, (Luvuyo) Memela, Thamsanqa Gabuza and Mpho Makola. They helped us to go on and attack in all cylinders.

‘If we had scored on that penalty it would have changed the whole complexion of the game completely. However, we tried under difficult circumstances. I want to call this a setback,’ he concluded.