Coach Arthur Zwane feels fatigue caught up with AmaZulu against ‘best team’ Pirates
Arthur Zwane admitted that the weekend's exertions against Marumo Gallants had taken a heavy toll on his AmaZulu side that contributed to Tuesday's defeat against Orlando Pirates.
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AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane conceded his side were second best against what he labelled “the best team in the country at the moment”, admitting his players were running on empty after a demanding schedule caught up with them in Tuesday night’s 2-0 Betway Premiership defeat to Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Usuthu came into the clash on the back of a gritty 1-0 away win over Marumo Gallants in Bloemfontein on Saturday, but the short turnaround, travel and recovery demands proved costly against a Pirates side that surged to the top of the Betway Premiership standings.
“We needed to manage the players because we only had one day to prepare the team,” Zwane explained afterwards. “The idea was to try and refresh the squad, but unfortunately in the first half we were a bit sluggish.
“Our reaction speed was very slow, and when you play a quality team like Pirates, (you get punished if) you’re a little bit slow in defending, coming out of tight situations and connecting in transition. We played in dribs and drabs.”
Zwane felt AmaZulu had moments to hurt the Buccaneers in the first half, particularly down the flanks, but lacked the composure to capitalise — the efforts of Riaan Hanamub notwithstanding.
Usuthu improved after substitutions in the second period and created a few promising moments, but Pirates held firm.
Zwane also pointed to the physical toll of Saturday’s exertions in the Bloemfontein heat.
“We left a lot there. We fought tooth and nail to get those points away from home,” he said.
Bafana Bafana starlet Relebohile Mofokeng scored both goals at Moses Mabida Stadium to help Pirates open a three-points gap from second placed Mamelodi Sundowns.