Milutin Sredojevic, Orlando Pirates, August 2018

Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic delighted to see Justin Shonga end goalscoring drought

Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic says their win over Polokwane City means a lot ahead of their clash with Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Soweto giants secured their first PSL win over Rise and Shine since 2015 when they beat them 2-1 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday.

“After the quarter-finals of the Telkom Knockout we came here 72 hours [after] to play the game. We had an imbalanced squad, five of them that were having fresh legs and five of them with the match-fitness from Saturday,” Sredojevic told SuperSport TV.

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Pirates went into the game having defeated AmaZulu FC 3-1 in the Telkom Knockout Cup quarter-final match in Durban on Saturday.

Goals from Marcelo Da Silva and Justin Shonga helped the Buccaneers end their six-match winless run against Rise and Shine. 

“First half we didn’t start well. The opponent was dominating in the first 15 minutes. We were cagey in the first half, limited chances, limited space. At half-time we sorted out what we were supposed to sort - to provide the numbers going forward," he continued.

Meanwhile, Micho was happy to see Zambian striker Shonga end his scoring drought as he netted his maiden goal since August 2018

"Scoring that goal we could wrap up the game, scoring the second goal I’m so happy for [Justin] Shonga, he’s so much under pressure. But in the last three games he assisted three goals and scored one goal. This is extra contribution," he added. 

“The instructions were clear that we don’t defend by sitting back but by possessing the ball. And when you possess, the opponent is rushing to chase the result. You’re making mistakes, this is how the corner came and we conceded that goal," Micho continued. 

The Serbian tactician feels that the win has boosted the team's confidence ahead of their massive clash with Sundowns on Saturday.

“These three points mean a lot to us especially as since 2015 Pirates have not beaten Polokwane [City] so even that mental hill we jumped over and succeeded. The win means a lot to us because confidence you can get only by winning,” he concluded. 

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