Orlando Pirates coach Fadlu Davids says they can’t fault the players after their 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy which marked their fifth league defeat of the season.
Lefa Hlongwane’s first-half strike proved a valuable boost for the home side at Mbombela Stadium but a massive blow to the Buccaneers hopes of CAF inter-club qualification.
Pirates have now failed to score in their last three games against Baroka, Chippa and Galaxy which leave them five points behind Royal AM and four behind third-placed Cape Town City.
And that gap could widen should the two sides secure results in their respective games in hand against Maritzburg United and Chippa respectively.
“Congrats to TS Galaxy I think their game plan in relation to waiting for one or two moments worked because they took their moment in the first half,” Davids told SuperSport TV after the defeat.
“That was the only moment they had but as you said, that decisive moment in the box is what is letting us down especially in the PSL this season. In the box we weren’t good enough, in the box you have to be calm, you have to be decisive, you have to be clear to really finish the opportunities and that’s something that’s eluding us in the PSL.”
Davids admits it’s a puzzling dilemma given their scoring form with 15 goals in the Confederation Cup competition this season in just six group games before the knockout stages, where they eliminated Simba SC for a place in the last-four against Al Ahli SC.
“Our CAF form in terms of scoring goals is different, but it’s not for us to blame the players, because they put everything, they gave their all but the luck in front of goal is just not there,” he continued.
“You have to persevere, we have to switch our mindset now to the semi-final, we travel to Libya and we’ve got to go really strong to really win this competition.
“I don’t think it’s a physiological thing, we knew we had to win our four games to achieve the Champions League position, the other teams are not picking up points in that regard but it’s up to us – you can’t depend on the opponent all the time if you’re not winning.”
Pirates now travel to Libya this week where they will face the Libyan League A Leaders at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi on Sunday (18h00).
