Orlando Pirates’ Thabo Matlaba: We deserve a trophy

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Dec 12, 2017. 12:30

Orlando Pirates captain Thabo Matlaba argues that the Soweto giants deserve to win a trophy this season, given the quality of their football.

Pirates put in a dominant display in their last outing, a 1-1 draw at home to AmaZulu on Saturday evening which took them temporarily to the top of the Absa Premiership.

Yet their performance was most notable for the way they spurned several glaring scoring chances.

The Buccaneers will wrap up their league campaign for the year 2017 when they face Free State Stars at Goble Park this weekend.

“We are doing well and to be honest the football we are playing we deserve to win a trophy this season, but we have to convert chances,” said Matlaba, who made his name at Ea Lla Koto before signing with Pirates in 2012.

“We missing a lot of chances. If you look back if we could have been converting we should be talking a different story now.

“But we are not looking down as a team. We are positive, we are not giving up. We still have a game against Free State Stars and we will try do our best.”

Coach Milutin Sredojevic echoed his captain’s sentiments, arguing that his side’s improvement is coming along nicely.

“Our strategy is working perfectly,” said ‘Micho’. “The only piece in that strategy is passing the ball to the net that is not working. But we are a work in progress and I am convinced that those chances will be converted soon.”