Orlando Pirates forward Justin Shonga says coach Milutin Sredojevic has complete faith in him in dead-ball situations.

Following his slow start to the campaign, which saw him endure a 11-game scoring drought, the Pirates forward has slowly begin to hit top form in recent weeks.

He has already scored two goals from set-pieces against Polokwane City and Light Stars respectively.

The 22-year-old admits that he has been working extra hard with goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane during training in order to perfect his free kick technique.

‘It all comes from practicing at training. I practice them a lot with Jackson Mabokgwane, because the coaches always say, ”It’s the last bullet in the gun”,’ Shonga told the media.

‘If we fail to score in open play, but find even a single set-piece in a match, and we don’t get two or three, then we always have to make full use of it.

‘They [the technical team] always put everything on me – they have the trust in me, so I have to pay back that faith [by scoring].’

The Zambian international has already found the back of the net three times in his last four games across all competitions, but he believes that the responsibility of scoring is handed to the likes of Thembinkosi Lorch and Augustine Mulenga as well.

‘I think the [responsibility of scoring] is a shared thing, because if I’m not in the right position, I have to pass to Lorch or to Mulenga,’ he added.

‘If I can’t score then I have to assist, but as a striker I’m expected by the supporters to score in every game.

‘The coaches always tell me, ”If you don’t score, we understand. At least you assisted, or you played better; you do a lot of stuff [correctly]. You make movements according to how we want you to play now”.

‘They tell me sometimes – and the supporters won’t understand it but myself and the coaches do – that I need to make such a move to create space for any of Mulenga, Lorch or Kutumela, or any of my teammates.

‘So, it’s just a share of the responsibility. That’s what I’d say.’