Orlando Pirates coach Ruud Krol will be hoping to solve his goal-scoring problem ahead of Saturday night’s MTN8 semifinal first-leg clash against old enemy Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium. Kick-off is at 8.15pm.
Krol shook his head in disbelief as his goal-shy strikers and midfielders wasted countless chances and had to settle for a 0-0 draw against hard-running Free State Stars in a disappointing Absa Premiership match played at the same venue on Wednesday night.
“It was a big pity we missed so many chances, maybe 10 or 12 good opportunities to score. Had we taken them and won this match as we should have, it would have been a fantastic boost for our match against Chiefs,” said Krol.
“I have little time, but will try to work on the strikers and come up with an improvement for Saturday night. But I believe this is a South African problem as there is little happening at grassroots level to develop strikers in this country.”
While Bucs should have wrapped up three points against the hard-working Stars, Krol will take heart in the fact Amakhosi also dropped their first points of the season when they were held to a 1-1 draw against Maritzburg United in their Wednesday fixture played at Pietermaritzburg’s Harry Gwala Stadium.
While Krol is looking to his strikers to get back to form, Chiefs coach Vladimir Vermezovic has a class act in Zimbabwean Knowledge Musona, who was on target against United and will be a thorn in the side of the Buccaneers defence.
The 20-year-old Musona joined Amakhosi at the start of last season and has proved to be an inspired signing and is improving with every game.
Krol will be tempted to remove clumsy Nigeria-born striker Elena Otorogu, who struggled to get going and was badly let down with his first touch.
The big Nigerian looked sluggish against Stars, as did Ndumiso Mabena, and both missed gilt-edged chances.
They could make way for Thulasizwe Mbuyane, and Malawian international star Chiukepo Msowoya will have recovered from injuries and be available.
‘At least he was creating chances’
However, Krol will persevere with another wasteful player against Stars in left wing Tlou Segolela, who missed chances that a schoolboy would have converted.
“I was concerned by the chances he missed, but at least he was creating them,” said Krol.
Krol denied his players’ minds were on Saturday’s Soweto derby. “No ways, every game is important to us — not just those against Chiefs. The reason we dropped points was because we could not finish.”
Krol said the other problem was the stop-start way the league season has begun. “We played our first league match on August 27, then had a 12-day break due to Bafana Bafana playing in the African Nations Cup qualifier [against Niger] last Saturday, and now we play two big games in the space of four days.
“I am not complaining but it does take it out of the players.”
One worry is the injury to his Zambian midfield star, Isaac Chansa, who was pulled off in the second half. “I am hoping Chansa will be fit. He was feeling the pain against Stars and I had no option but to replace him.”
The Zambian international makes the Bucs midfield tick and his loss would be a severe blow to the club’s hopes of taking a lead into the second leg of the competition, which carries R8-million for the winner.
Moroka Swallows play Ajax Cape Town at the Athlone Stadium on Sunday at 3pm in the other semifinal first-leg tie.
This will be the second of a triple-header involving the clubs. On Wednesday at Dobsonville Ajax edged out the Birds 3-2 in their league encounter. — Sapa