Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe believes his side deserved at least a point against Orlando Pirates following their 2-1 loss in the Betway Premiership
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Polokwane City head coach Phuti Mohafe believes his side were unfortunate not to come away with at least a point following their 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates, insisting the result did not reflect the overall balance of the match.
Rise and Shine suffered their first home defeat of the season after a late strike from Patrick Maswanganyi sealed victory for the Buccaneers. Bonginkosi Dlamini had brought the hosts level after Relebohile Mofokeng opened the scoring, but Pirates responded swiftly to snatch all three points.
Despite the setback, the Limpopo-based outfit remain seventh on the table and are still well-positioned in their pursuit of a third consecutive top-eight finish.
Mohafe expressed pride in his players’ effort and organisation, arguing that their performance warranted greater reward.
“It is not a good defeat because the true reflection of the match would have been a draw.” Mohafe told the media after the match.
"It's a difficult defeat to accept, but looking at how the players played, they gave a good account of themselves, and this was our first loss at home, and it's difficult to accept.”
Facing a Pirates side widely regarded as one of the strongest defensive units in the league, Mohafe was encouraged by his team’s attacking intent and their ability to breach a normally resolute backline.
“We were playing against one of the biggest teams in Southern Africa, and they do not concede many goals. For us to score against them shows the progress we are making.”
However, the City mentor identified the early stages of the second half as a decisive period in the contest. He felt his side allowed Pirates too much control after the restart, which shifted momentum in favour of the visitors.
“At the beginning of the second half, we allowed them to dictate the tempo. We were not as aggressive and disciplined as we were in the first half. Later, we corrected that and began to impose ourselves again.”
Mohafe pointed to a lapse in concentration as the key factor behind Pirates’ winning goal, particularly the space afforded inside the penalty area.
“For the second goal, we allowed the cross and did not manage the space in the box properly. That is where we lost the game. It was disappointing because it came just a few minutes after we had equalised. They showed mental strength to respond quickly.”
With Pirates locked in a tight title race with Mamelodi Sundowns, Mohafe suggested that based on the performance against his side, he does not view them as clear favourites for the championship.
“If they continue playing like this, I do not see them winning the championship.
“Not knowing if our tactical aspects were spot on, maybe we planned very well for them and that is why they struggled with us today. But I do not see them becoming champions.”
* Obakeng Meletse is Independent Media’s multi-sport writer. For fresh video content, follow our YouTube channel The Clutch