Zothwane Proud Of Richards Bay Fight Despite Pirates Defeat

Richards Bay coach Papi Zothwane says he remains proud of his players after their spirited performance against Orlando Pirates, insisting the team gave a good account of themselves despite the defeat.

The Natal Rich Boyz lost 2-0 to Pirates in a Betway Premiership clash at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday. While the scoreline suggests a comfortable victory for the Buccaneers, Zothwane believes his side competed well but fell short in key moments.

The KwaZulu-Natal outfit created a promising opportunity late in the match when Nashixwa Tuli broke through on goal. Instead of taking the shot, he attempted a reverse pass inside the box, allowing the Pirates defence to recover and clear the danger.

Zothwane felt his team showed resilience against one of the strongest sides in the league.

“I think it was a good match, considering we were playing Pirates, who are fighting for the league and have the quality that they possess,” said Zothwane on the club website.

“But I must say our players played exceptionally well. Unfortunately, the goal came in a situation where I think we could have done better.

“When you play against Pirates, you cannot give them space in behind. We managed that well, but I felt that in the first half we defended too deep and that’s where the goal came from.

“We improved after that. In the second half we tried to push the defensive line higher and take the game to Pirates.

“But when you are playing a team with the quality that Pirates have, it becomes difficult because when you push forward you leave space behind.

“Still, our boys gave a good account of themselves. They played well and even though we didn’t take the chances we created, we can build on this performance.”

Richards Bay will now shift their focus to a KwaZulu-Natal derby against AmaZulu FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (18:00).