Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender blasts Orlando Pirates after Cape Town City defeat - 'Their issue is they think they have won a match before they have even played it'

Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender Harris Choeu has criticised Orlando Pirates for failing to secure maximum points in a Premier Soccer League match against Cape Town City. 

The Sea Robbers dominated most of the match against City, but Muhsin Ertugral’s side eventually emerged victorious with a 1-0 win at the DHL Stadium. 

Cheou, who believes Pirates should have easily won the game, has expressed his disappointment towards Bucs players, claiming they are no longer disciplined. 

"Consistency is one of our weaknesses here at home in South Africa; it highlights the quality of players we have. You don’t have to (only) be talented, you also need to have mental quality," Choeu told Kickoff. 

"No matter how skilled you are, you need to remain focused. If your mindset isn’t fully developed, you will be inconsistent - winning today and losing tomorrow.

"It shows that when it comes to consistency, we are not quite there yet here at home, even though we have an abundance of talent. Pirates should not have lost that game against Cape Town City. Under no circumstances. Regardless of how good that team is, pound for pound, they cannot match Pirates," explained the Witbank Black Aces legend. 

"They should have proven to Cape Town City that they are not on their level. So, Pirates were supposed to win that game, but their issue is that they sometimes win matches before they are even played. They approach certain games with the mindset that they will earn all three points. This often happens when a team is too accustomed to winning," he added. 

"If they were facing Mamelodi Sundowns yesterday, I can assure you the approach would have been different. But now, because they have won some matches by large margins, they tend to forget to attach discipline to their winning mentality. Right now, they are losing that discipline."

Pirates' loss at Cape Town City saw them fail to move up to the top of the Premier Soccer League table, leaving them three points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. 

The Soweto giants have been impressive since the start of the season, having won eight league matches and also doing great in the Caf Champions League. 

Pirates are bidding for the league title after going over a decade without winning it. The next few league matches will be must-win for Bucs as they would not want to drop points considering that Masandawana are also in good form. 

Pirates will be back in PSL action again when they face troubled Royal AM later this month before the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs on February 1.

For now, Jose Riveiro's star-studded team will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways when they clash against Algerian side CR Belouizdad in the Caf Champions League this coming Sunday.