ORLANDO Pirates are going to rue the two points they dropped in a 1-1 CAF Champions League draw against Stade D’Abidjan in the Ivory Coast on Saturday night.
This is a match they should have rendered a no contest within the initial half hour.
But they persisted in showing off their slick passing moves instead of finding the opposition net.
It proved costly as Pirates allowed the Ivorians to not only score their first goal of the campaign, but to also earn their first point in Group C.
Though they’ve gone top of the group with five points at the halfway mark, it’s only because Al Ahly and CR Belouizdad are not playing this weekend as the defending champions are involved in the Fifa Intercontinenal Cup in Qatar.
Jose Riveiro and his men were all over their hosts from kick-off in the near empty Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, and you got the impression they will reign victorious just like Jerry Sikhosana and Co did at this venue two days short of 29 years ago.
But ruthless is not a word you can use to describe this Pirates team.
Exciting yes, for they can knock the ball around beautifully and have the opponents chasing shadows.
But what’s the use of doing that when the ball does not end up with a tick on the score-sheet?
They had ample opportunities to send Drissa Bamba scooping the ball from inside his net, but failed to do so on five occasions by the half-hour mark.
Makhehleni Makhaula scoffed the ball wide on six minutes following a fortuitous roll of the ball into his path with the goals open in front of him.
Then Relebohile Mofokeng shot wide on 13 minutes, and a minute later, he sent it over after Bamba had spilled the ball.
Deon Hotto copied his young teammate shortly thereafter, the Namibian international shooting over after a good team build-up saw Evidence Makgopa setting him up.
Then Makgopa and Mohau Nokota caught the hosts on a break, but the latter shot tamely at the keeper to waste a glorious chance.
When Makgopa eventually found the net from the penalty spot after Mofokeng was hacked, you thought that would inspire them to send the floodgates flowing.
Instead, it was the hosts who returned from the break more fired up, and they took the game to their visitors.
The men in orange dictated play and attacked with verve, and their efforts were rewarded within the initial 10 minutes of the second half.
A free kick on the left side got sent to the far end of the box and was headed back in, where the Pirates defence were in sleep mode.
Mohamed Niampa headed in unmarked to beat birthday boy Sipho Chaine, who had hitherto enjoyed the equivalent of a Sunday morning kick-about.
Riveiro made a change to impact the game differently, bringing on three players at once, but that was all in vain as Pirates struggled to open up the opposition.
☠️ FT | @Stadedabidjan 1 - 1 @orlandopirates
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) December 14, 2024
🥅 Makgopa (P) 45+3'
⚫⚪🔴⭐#MatchDay#TotalEnergiesCAFCL #OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/8asQvKYK3y
As Stade went in search of the winner, they left themselves open for counter-attacks and breaks.
In one of those, Makgopa found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but he could not complete his brace.
The striker shot straight at Bamba, the fact that his teammates took their time to join the attack to provide him with options not making his job any easier.
Against a team that had been seen as the group’s whipping boys, Pirates’ failure to win has certainly undermined their hopes of progressing into the knockout stage.
There are still three matches to go, though, and you can bet Stade D’Abidjan will make the trip to Orlando Stadium believing they can get something out of it.