Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro was at a loss to explain his side’s 1-0 Betway Premiership defeat to Cape Town City on Wednesday, as they missed a penalty and a host of other chances in the Mother City.

Riveiro praised his side’s performance, suggesting they had played much worse and lost this year, but bemoaned their luck at the Cape Town Stadium.

Patrick Maswanganyi struck the post with a spot-kick as Pirates created 14 goal-attempts in the game and also hit the crossbar through Kabelo Dlamini.

The result leaves Pirates trailing Betway Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by three points after 11 games.

“It is actually quite difficult to explain the final result. I think the difference between the two teams was too big this time, with all the respect for the game of Cape Town City,” Riveiro said

“But It’s difficult to explain that we lost this game the way we did but this is football. They managed to put one ball in the net. We didn’t but I think a very complete performance. We did everything in order to win the match, there’s not much that you can do, so on to the next one.”

City scored their goal via a deflection as Darwin Gonzalez, who also got the winner against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday, saw his effort from the edge of the box beat Pirates gloveman Sipho Chaine.

“I just think it’s pure bad luck in this case if you see the way they score. It’s something not normal, but like I said, we were Pirates tonight,” Riveiro said.

“We played the football that we’ve been playing before and there were other games we played that we didn’t play the football that we played before and got the results, but we couldn’t make it. Now we have to put our heads to the next one, this match is gone.”

Pirates are next in action on Sunday when they host Algerian side CR Belouizdad in the CAF Champions League. Victory there will seal their quarter-final place.