Raja got their tactics right against us, says Orlando Pirates winger Pule
Pirates winger Pule has admitted that facing Raja Casablanca was difficult.
Orlando Pirates winger Vincent Pule has admitted that they had it tough against Raja Casablanca. (Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix)
As expected, Orlando Pirates clash with Raja Casablanca was very difficult with the Buccaneers winger Vincent Pule admitting that they had it tough against the Moroccan outfit after playing to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Caf Confederation Cup at Orlando Stadium last Sunday.
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Pule, who scored for the Buccaneers in the first half after some sloppy defending from the visitors, says Casablanca got their tactics right on the day.
But, Pirates can only blame themselves after not capitalising from the goal scoring opportunities they created and allowing the North Africans to equalise through Ben Malango in the second half.
With the way things are, the Buccaneers winger knows that playing the second leg away from home is going to be demanding from them and they just have to make sure that they utilise all of their goal scoring chances.
“I think it was a very difficult game, tactically they are very good, they shift well. We got our goal scoring chance and I think had we buried them it could have been a very different game,” said the Bucs winger.
“Away it’s very difficult, we just have to go out there and fight as a team. Even today (Sunday), we fought hard. We limited them from getting goal scoring chances and we got our goal scoring chances. We just have to bury our chances because away it’s going to be very difficult. When we get chances we have to punish them.”
Meanwhile, Bucs coach Josef Zinnbauer spoke out about Casablanca striker Malango and shared the same sentiments as Pule regarding not allowing their opponents enough chances to score and applauding his charges for their efforts.
“Malango is a very good striker with top skills and he had a good game. When he gets chances he scores most of the time. But we defended well and we didn’t give Raja many chances (to score). What the team did today was very good,” said the Bucs mentor.
Pirates will need a win away from home to go through to the next stage of the tournament, or a draw scoreline of more than 1-1.
But, playing Casablanca at their own turf has proved to be difficult in this competition with the the North Africans yet to lose a match at home this campaign in the continental tournament.
