Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddado don yarn say dem dey small small disappointed after dem draw 2-2 with Richards Bay FC for Friday evening match. The Buccaneers, wey dey fight for Betway Premiership title, bin dey look for win to overtake Mamelodi Sundowns for top of table, but dem only manage draw.
For the match wey play for uMhlathuze Stadium, Richards Bay open scoring early for 11th minute when Thulani Gumede fire thunder shot from outside box wey beat Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine. Pirates defender Lebone Seema bin make mistake for that goal wey make am easy for Gumede.
Pirates try to equalize but dem no fit score for first half. After break, dem come level for 52nd minute when Oswin Appollis connect with cross from Relebohile Mofokeng to beat Richards Bay goalkeeper Ian Otieno. But celebration no last long.
Richards Bay come back again for 59th minute when Lindokuhle Zikhali score another goal from distance to put dem ahead 2-1. Pirates push for equalizer and dem almost score for 88th minute when Evidence Makgopa hit post.
For injury time, Seema redeem himself with long-range stunner wey beat Otieno to make score 2-2. The goal come for 92nd minute but Pirates no fit find winner before final whistle blow.
Coach Ouaddado talk to SuperSport TV after match say: “We know say e go hard here. Richards Bay dey always strong when we come play dem. We concede one goal, we come back, dem equalize again. Na first time we concede second goal like that.”
“The guys fight until end but I think we lose two points for this title race. People go think say e don finish but we no like that. We go play our game until end. Our strength before na to no concede goal but today that area weak small.”
The draw mean Pirates remain second for table with 55 points from 24 games, while Sundowns dey top with 56 points from 23 games. Sundowns get one game wey dem never play, wey give dem advantage for title race.
For Richards Bay side, the point help dem small for fight to avoid relegation. Dem dey tenth for table but still get work to do to ensure safety.
Pirates next three fixtures go be tough: dem go face AmaZulu for 18th April at Orlando Amstel Arena, then Kaizer Chiefs for 26th April at FNB Stadium, and finally Stellenbosch FC for 5th May at Athlone Stadium.
Meanwhile, former Pirates star Edwin Gyimah don share sad story about how family issues and career problems don make am homeless. The Ghanaian defender wey play for Pirates and Sekhukhune United talk say family take over his eight-bedroom house while he dey South Africa.
But for current Pirates team, focus dey on title race. Coach Ouaddado insist say nothing don decide yet. “We go work until end,” he yarn. “The boys show character to come back from two goals down. That one na positive but we still lose two points.”
The match show say title race go tight until last day. Pirates need win all their remaining games and hope say Sundowns drop points somewhere. But with Sundowns form wey dey strong – dem don win their last ten league matches – e go hard small.
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