Casric Stars head coach Bucs Mthombeni has revealed how analysing Orlando Pirates’ recent clash against Mamelodi Sundowns helped his side pull off a famous Nedbank Cup upset on Saturday.
The Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit stunned the Buccaneers 5-4 on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup.
The encounter ended goalless after extra time, despite Pirates creating the better chances over 120 minutes.
Speaking to SuperSport TV after the match, Mthombeni praised his players’ resilience and tactical discipline, admitting that detailed preparation played a key role in the victory.
“I was up against a very good team, with a good coach, and a team that is on form,” said Mthombeni. “But I did my analysis on Wednesday when they played against Sundowns. I knew somewhere, somehow, they would get frustrated.”
The Casric coach explained that Pirates’ inability to score at crucial moments often affects their composure.
“If Pirates don’t get a goal in critical moments, they become more frustrated. That’s what we anticipated,” he added.
Mthombeni also jokingly admitted the dramatic penalty shootout nearly took its toll on him.
“I told the penalty takers they nearly killed me! You won’t believe I didn’t eat the whole day. I’m finally going to eat now,” he said with a laugh. “Credit to the supporters and the people down in Mpumalanga. I hope we made them proud.”
The tactician further explained his late substitutions, revealing that they were part of a calculated tactical adjustment.
“After 73 minutes, I decided to make changes because I wanted us to be more tactical, but I didn’t want to rush the substitutions,” he explained.
“I told my wingers to be careful because they were overloading on the left side, especially on Mofokeng’s flank.”
Casric Stars’ victory over Pirates stands as the biggest upset of this year’s Nedbank Cup so far, sending shockwaves through South African football and ending the Buccaneers’ hopes of silverware in dramatic fashion.
Soccer Bullet is a weekly football newspaper with a large focus on PSL football stars, breaking news and football features from renowned journalists in the industry.
The Soccer Bullet website is your 24 hour portal to the latest football news as well as a content hub where you can access on Soccer Bullet Website Sales Email: info@soccerbullet.co.za
