Jwaneng Galaxy coach Morena Ramoreboli has issued a warning to Orlando Pirates, though his team was walloped in their backyard last Saturday in the first-leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round.
Ramoreboli’s men were left biting the dust after The Soweto giants put up a performance full of passion and enthusiasm to win the first-leg tie of the CAF Champions League final preliminary round clash 2-0 at the at Botswana National Stadium.
Tshegofatso Mabasa and Deon Hotto were on target in either half of the match as the Pirates raced to account for the win and placed one foot in the Champions League group stages.
Galaxy fought back valiantly, but their efforts were thwarted by a disallowed goal in the first half. Despite their determination, they couldn’t replicate their previous season’s success of defeating Pirates 1-0 before the second-leg.
JWANENG GALAXY COACH, RAMOREBOLI WARNS THAT 2-0 IS NOT A SAFE LEAD
And in conceding defeat, the outspoken Ramoreboli said that Pirates’ lead is not safe.
“Last season, we were sitting in the same position celebrating a 1-0 victory against Orlando Pirates. Today [Saturday], we’re sitting here after losing; we need to find strength from losing 2-0 at home,” he said.
“We need to find reasons to perform better in the second-leg. This was just the first-half, we are going for the second-half, and it can go either way.
“So leading 2-0 in a game of football, it’s not a safe lead. We still have 90 more minutes to play. I have always said we have the capability and ability to come back; we’ll definitely come back,” added Ramoreboli.
After last term’s disappointment, Pirates are fired up to progress to the CAF Champions League group stages.
Riding on a 2-0 goal margin from the first-leg, they are in full control heading into the return leg.
Last time out, they were trailing 1-0 going into the second-leg. In addition, their return leg efforts yielded a 1-0 win at home in Orlando, Soweto.
And the deadlock had to be separated via penalties where, Galaxy were perfect. They won 5-4. But this time around, Pirates are geared to undo last time’s memory, with their eyes focused on the group phase.
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