Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic credits his players for applying themselves after Marshall Munetsi was sent off in the first half in the Telkom Knockout final.

The Buccaneers missed the chance to end their wait for silverware after they were beaten 3-2 in a penalty shootout by Baroka, who claimed their first ever Telkom Knockout title.

However, Sredojevic says that the missing ‘factor’ for his side was ‘luck’, despite giving it their all for the entire game.

‘I have to give an absolute credit to the players. We have applied ourselves very well until this few minutes of madness where we got the red card and conceded that goal. We have absolutely controlled the game fully, the opponent used those moments that we were a player less, scored the goal,’ Sredojevic told SuperSport TV after the game.

‘On half-time we went totally risky, instead of putting a central defender we kept the formation that was extremely attacking with four attackers upfront, practically playing with three defenders, two central and four attackers. That paid off, scoring that goal going into extra time.

‘Then [thereafter] we couldn’t stabilise, we have conceded, despite dominating with a player less we conceded that penalty. But the spirit of the team worked very hard so that we could come to that equalising goal on 2-2.

He added: ‘We have given everything under the circumstances. I believe in regulation time we were close to winning the game. On penalties it came what it came. We really having the jinx of losing on penalties, it was on the MTN8, SuperSport [United] after 2-2 [SuperSport won on penalties]. Today it is 2-2 [we lose again]. It is something that is our problem. We have to pick up the pieces, be strong. I give credit to the technical team who worked very hard to prepare the team.

‘The missing factor today was the element of luck, because penalties is a lottery,’ he concluded.