Matchday 9 - preview
Orlando Pirates v Thanda Royal Zulu FC
JOHANNESBURG, November 21 (Absa Premier League) – Thanda Royal Zulu assistant Johan Eriksson is confident his team can bounce back from last week’s Absa Premier League loss to Mamelodi Sundowns when they face Orlando Pirates on Saturday.
The Amabhubesi were outplayed in Pretoria and in the end were lucky to lose just 2-0, with Roger Palmgren’s number two attributing the dismal performance to respecting their opponents “a little too much”.
Defeat by Thanda in their last game has seen them slip to 11th in the table, but Eriksson is sure they can turn around the recent slump.
“It was an away game at Sundowns against possibly the strongest team in South Africa, so it’s not that big a deal,” he said of their previous loss. “Obviously we weren’t happy with our performance, so we’ve worked very hard to make sure we don’t make the same mistake again.
“I think the problem came about because we respected our opponents a little too much, we gave them too much space.”
The Durban side has already faced the Buccaneers this season, losing out 1-0 in a tightly contested game in the Telkom Knockout.
However, Ruud Krol’s men have improved dramatically in recent weeks with victory against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs last week lifting them to seventh on the log.
Eriksson added: “Pirates are on form, we played them in the cup recently and we were very even, if not better than them.
“I don’t think we going to have the same respect for them as we had for Sundowns. Not to say though that it’s an easy game, we know it will be very, very tough and we’re going to have to work hard to get one or three points.”
The good news for our boys this week is a clear injury list, meaning the coach will have a full squad to choose from.
Pirates on the other hand will again be without Moeneeb Josephs.
The goalkeeper is still recovering from his head injury picked up two weeks ago, while Benson Mhlongo and Gilbert Mushangazhike face late fitness tests after picking up knocks in the Soweto derby.
Captain Lehlohonolo Seema said: “I know people are expecting an easy game against Thanda because we beat them earlier in the season in the Telkom Knockout and they recently lost 2-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns.
“But we won’t adopt that mentality because teams tend to be more dangerous when they come from a defeat.
“We are preparing for this game the same way we have been doing in the past. We will give Thanda the respect they deserve and will not underestimate them in any way.”
The game will also mark the re-opening of the Orlando Stadium after it underwent a R280 million makeover in recent months ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.