Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler has blasted his team for poor decision making in the final third following their 0-0 draw against Polokwane City in an Absa Premiership match on Tuesday night.
Tinkler was visibly upset with his side’s inability to find the back of the net and was not shy to say so.
“I think both teams performed quite well,” said Tinkler after the game.
“There was a lot of possession on both sides and I don’t think we used that possession positively enough.
“We didn’t have enough penetration as we have had in our previous game.
“We didn’t have enough people looking to get beyond Kermit (Erasmus). We found Kermit too often being the highest player up field that we had.
“We tried to rectify that at half time by telling Oupa (Manyisa) and Roger Majafa to look to get a little bit higher and try to do similar to what we have done in our previous games.
“We created one or two chances, but again our decision making in the final third let us down.
“Right toward the end it could have gone either way as both teams looked to try and secure the win.”
Pirates suffered a set-back on the hour mark when Oupa Manyisa left the field injured, but Tinkler did not feel it had a massive impact on the game.
“We were disappointed to have lost Oupa, but I thought Menzi (Masuku) came on and he was a little bit more offensive – he looks to play behind the striker and we became a little bit more of a threat,” added Tinkler.
“I thought towards the end of the second half they (Polokwane) started to open up a lot more and we were starting to find more space out wide, but again our decision making let us down.”
Looking ahead to his side’s CAF Confederation Cup semifinal, first leg against Al Ahly on Saturday, Tinkler praised his defensive department for keeping a clean sheet and said that will give them confidence ahead of the tie.
“The area of concern (heading into the Al Ahly game) has been defensively and I am glad we kept a clean sheet tonight and I think that is a positive that we can take away from this game,” said Tinkler.
“It is a good morale booster for the goalkeeper and for the back four as well.
“In our offensive play we have kind of gone off the boil and there has been a knock in our confidence after the game against Zamalek (which we lost 4-1), but what is important now is just trying to motivate the boys to make them understand that it is a massive game on the weekend.
“It is a once in a life-time opportunity, we don’t get these opportunities every year and we need to make the most of it.
“The only way we can do that is if we go out there and play with the enjoyment we have shown in the past.”
