Davids points to striking problems as Pirates suffer another Champions League blow

Fadlu Davids said Orlando Pirates were not decisive enough in the penalty box after they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at TS Galaxy on Monday in the DStv Premiership.

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The result was a boost for Galaxy in their bid to avoid relegation, but for Pirates it was another blow in their efforts to reach next season’s Confederation of African Football competitions.

“You want to say congratulations to Galaxy,” Pirates co-head coach Fadlu Davids told SuperSport after the match.

“Their game plan was that they were waiting for one or two moments and it worked, they took their moment in the first half.

“We had width and we had numbers in the box … when the ball came in we were there to pick it up. But we were not good enough today, you have to be decisive to finish off (chances). That is eluding us in the PSL. In the Caf Confederation Cup our form in terms of scoring is different. That is not to blame the players, they gave their all but the luck is not there.”

The “moment” that Galaxy took came in the 33^rd minute as Lindokuhle Mbatha got clear down the left and crossed for Lefa Hlongwane to apply the simples of finishes.

The three points moves Sead Ramovic’s side above Swallows FC and Maritzburg United in the table, three points ahead of the Birds and two ahead of Maritzburg, though they have played one game more.

Pirates, who only have three Premiership games left to play, remain five points behind second-placed Royal AM in the race for a Caf Champions League spot and four behind Cape Town City in the third place. Both City and Royal AM also have a game in hand on the Buccaneers.

Davids appeared to rule out Pirates’ chances of finishing second after the loss to Galaxy

“We knew we needed to win four games to achieve the Champions League (next season),” he said.

“Other teams have not been winning, but it us up to us, we can’t depend on our opponents all the time.”

Pirates will now travel to Libya, where they will take on Al Ahly Tripoli in the first leg of their Caf Confederation Cup semifinal, a competition that represents the Buccaneers’ only remaining chance of lifting some silverware this season.