Bucs lacking against Chiefs – coach

After his team dropped two crucial points that could have strengthened their ambitions to win the league title this season‚ Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic admitted they were not at their best in the 1-1 draw against Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.

In a match they were expected to dominate after having won their three previous clashes with Chiefs‚ Pirates were rescued by Thembinkosi Lorch’s 80th-minute equaliser to earn their ninth draw of the season in the 19 league matches they have played.

The draw – a second one in a row after they had the same result against Baroka FC last month – does not help Pirates as they remain four points behind leaders Bidvest Wits.

Wits had earlier in the day done the Buccaneers and Mamelodi Sundowns a huge favour when they lost 2-1 away to Highlands Park.

But the Pirates coach admitted his team were always chasing shadows in this match and never got to execute what they had planned to do.

“Both teams showed an intention to win,” he said.

“We did not get that extraordinary performance from the players and didn’t cover the space we were supposed to.

“But it is [also about] what a good opponent allows you, and I give absolute credit to Kaizer Chiefs.”

Pirates flew to Tunisia after the game to meet African champions Esperance in Tunis in what will be their fourth- round encounter in the Caf Champions League group stages on Tuesday afternoon.

With a match in hand over Wits in the domestic league‚ Sredojevic’s team are still in the race although it has to be said that the biggest winners on Saturday were Sundowns who are three points behind Wits and have played three matches fewer than Gavin Hunt’s team.

Pirates travel to the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela on February 20 to meet SuperSport United while Sundowns have a chance to go top of the league table if they beat Polokwane City at Loftus on the same night.