Oswin Appollis urges Orlando Pirates to improve after narrow MTN8 win

Orlando Pirates attacker Oswin Appollis says the defending champions must raise their performance after securing a slender 1-0 advantage over Sekhukhune United in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final.

Veteran Deon Hotto scored the only goal of the match at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, giving the Buccaneers an important lead to take into the return fixture.

The result keeps Orlando Pirates on course to claim a record fifth successive Wafa Wafa title. However, they still have to complete the job against Babina Noko at Orlando Amstel Arena before attempting to win the final.

The two sides will meet twice more within the space of a week, and Appollis believes Orlando Pirates will need to improve if they are to overcome Sekhukhune United in both fixtures.

The attacker has not been at his usual best after a demanding run of matches for both club and country. He acknowledged the difficulty of the first leg but said the victory remained the most important outcome.

“I think it was a very difficult game, that’s why you have a few days to prepare for the next match,” he said.

“We well aware that we’re playing them two more times, but there’s still room for improvement but overall I think we have to be happy with the victory today [Saturday] and then focus on the next two games against them.

“We have two days to prepare and see what we can do better and what we didn’t do better.

“And we’ll take it from there and continue working hard.

“It’s very important to get the victory today, and I think when we play at home it’s always nice because our home fans are there. Always supporting us and like I said we just focused on the next two games against them.”

Orlando Pirates will now use the two-day preparation period to assess their display in Polokwane and identify the areas that require attention before the next meeting with Sekhukhune United.

Despite acknowledging the need for improvement, Appollis stressed the value of taking a win into the upcoming matches. He also highlighted the influence of the Orlando Pirates support when the team plays at home.

The Buccaneers therefore have both a lead and home advantage in the next stage of the tie, but Sekhukhune United remain within touching distance of overturning the deficit. Orlando Pirates must maintain their focus across the two remaining encounters if they are to eliminate Babina Noko and retain their MTN8 crown.

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