Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Collins Mbesume believes Orlando Pirates will still be in the CAF Champions League if they started with a striker against Saint Eloi Lupopo.
The Buccaneers were sent packing out of the CAF CL after a penalty shootout loss to the DR Congo outfit a few weeks ago. Having lost 3-0 away, Pirates fought back to win by the same scoreline at home but eventually lost out on penalties.
Mbesuma, who played for both Pirates and Chiefs, said Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou got his tactics wrong in the second leg.
“I don’t know what their coach wanted to achieve against Lupopo when they went to penalties,” the retired striker told SoccerBeat,
“I thought Mabasa and Makgopa would start, you know, because in the Champions League, you need a striker who is good at the aerial ball, even on the ground, to link up play.”
Mbesuma argued that the Buccaneers should have started the second leg with Evidence Makgopa or Tshegofatso Mabasa upfront. None of the strikers featured in the game and it the team had to rely on another forward, Yanela Mbuthuma, who came in the second half and scored.
“If Pirates were clever, they would have won that game in the first half,” the former Chiefs striker said.
“Lupopo were defending narrowly, forcing Pirates to play on the wings but they were not crossing the ball because they didn’t have a target man who could fight for the ball.”
Former Chiefs star questions Pirates tactics against Lupopo
“If you are playing in Africa, you need to play crosses to your strikers. Everyone wanted to penetrate, but Lupopop were defending in their box; you can’t play a passing game,” Mbesuma said.
Despite their elimination from the Champions League, the Buccaneers still have the Betway Premiership to play for, having already bagged the MTN8 trophy in September.