Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic gave credit to Golden Arrows’ defensive strength after they contained the Buccaneers in a 0-0 draw on Wednesday evening.
The Sea Robbers dominated possession throughout the encounter against Abafana Besthende, but they failed to move the ball with the necessary pace and precision needed to break down Clinton Larsen’s well-drilled defensive unit.
Pirates were looking to go back to the summit of the Absa Premiership log, a point, however, was not enough to achieve this.
Speaking after the match to SuperSport TV, Sredojevic admitted that despite thoroughly preparing for the encounter, Pirates did not create the necessary opportunities to score despite throwing all but two players forward in the closing stages.
‘We played against a very organised team.
‘We intended to have a patient build-up, to have as many entries into the final third. From entrances into the last third it has a domino effect of creating the chances and scoring. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be,’ said the Serbian tactician.
‘Arrows defended in numbers. It was in our homework to move that ball faster than what they are shifting and defending.
‘We did not plant players in the right angle or in the right areas. This would have created more chances and with creating more chances something would have 100% entered the goal with the law of averages.
‘We shall pick up the pieces and analyse this game critically, and we shall improve for our next match against AmaZulu on Saturday.
‘At the end of the match, we only had two defensive players and threw everything up front, but unfortunately, it was not meant to be. We have to give credit to our opponent who defended very well and gave us limited chances from which we didn’t convert,’ concluded Sredojevic.
