Pirates’ MTN8 defence ends in defeat as fan admits Sundowns were superior

Orlando Pirates’ hopes of winning a fifth consecutive MTN8 title were ended by a 2-0 defeat by Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

The Buccaneers struggled to produce their best performance as Sundowns created a series of clear chances and secured a deserved victory.

Pirates supporter Oupa Mofokeng said the result reflected a disappointing display rather than a failure by the team’s coach or players.

“It didn’t go the way we expected. We can’t blame the coach, we can’t blame the players, i-game nje isihlulile [we just didn’t perform],” Mofokeng said.

Sundowns’ early opening goal left Mofokeng fearing that Pirates would not recover.

“The first goal, the way it was scored so early in the game, I could tell it was not going to be our night,” he said.

“We were hoping to equalise. Normally, when a goal is scored so early in a game, you don’t equalise.”

Pirates were given an opportunity to reduce the deficit when they were awarded a penalty, but Ghampani Lungu failed to convert it.

Mofokeng said the missed spot-kick summed up a night when little went right for the defending champions, while also describing the defeat as a warning about the gap between the teams.

“We did get a penalty that could have brought us back into the game, but it was not meant to be, as Ghampani Lungu failed to convert,” he said.

“But I can’t blame the coach and the players; it’s a wake-up call for us as Pirates. It shows us how far we are when it comes to our opponents.”

Mofokeng felt the match was fairly contested overall, although he believed some Sundowns players had been overly physical.

“The game was fair and square. I know Sundowns players were a bit rough, but overall, the game was against us,” he said.

“Nothing came together on our side as far as performance was concerned.”

Pirates must now turn their attention to league football, with TS Galaxy visiting the Orlando Amstel Arena on Tuesday. The match is scheduled to begin at 19:30.