Lorch takes the blame following TKO heartbreak

by Staff Reporter

Monday Dec 10, 2018. 13:00

Orlando Pirates attacker Thembinkosi Lorch put the blame on himself following the Soweto giants' defeat to Baroka FC in the Telkom Knockout final on Saturday.

The Buccaneers showed great grit and determination despite being reduced to 10-men in the early stages of the clash following Marshall Munetsi's dismissal, to take the game all the way to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Lorch, who scored an extra-time equaliser, missed the decisive kick, but such was his influence that he scooped the man-of-the-match accolade.

“To be honest I’m heartbroken you know. I feel like I cost the team. The red card killed us,” Lorch told SuperSport TV.

“But I think after the red card we managed to play well. We were not sitting back we were attacking them and we managed to get the second goal [the two goals]. Unfortunately we lost on penalties.”

Lorch continued: "It doesn’t matter. I could have done better to score a penalty for us to into sudden death. But it wasn’t to be. We worked hard you know to go to the penalties. Credit must go to all the guys, the technical team for believing in us. It was just not our day.

“I’d like to say to them they must keep on supporting us we still have three cups to play for. We’ll make them happy,” he concluded.

The 25-year-old scored four goals in four TKO matches for Pirates, but it will just serve as a painful reminder of what could've been for the Sea Robbers who see their trophy drought continue.