Sekhukhune United head coach Papi Zothwane has played down suggestions that his team are struggling with an Orlando Pirates hoodoo after suffering their fourth defeat against the Buccaneers this season.

The latest setback came on Saturday when Sekhukhune United lost 1-0 to Orlando Pirates in their Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final encounter, bringing their hopes of progressing further in the competition to an end.

The result continued Pirates’ impressive record against Sekhukhune this season, with the Soweto giants once again finding a way to overcome their opponents.

The two teams have faced each other four times during the current campaign, with Pirates winning all four encounters. Their latest victory further strengthened their dominance in the fixture and raised questions about Sekhukhune’s ability to compete against the Buccaneers.

However, Zothwane has refused to accept the idea that his team are under some kind of psychological spell whenever they come up against Pirates.

The Sekhukhune coach believes the repeated defeats should not be described as a hoodoo, suggesting that the results are part of football and can be addressed through hard work and improvements on the pitch.

Saturday’s encounter was another difficult outing for Babina Noko, who struggled to find a way past the Pirates defence despite their efforts to remain competitive throughout the match.

Pirates, meanwhile, showed their determination to progress in the Carling Knockout Cup, securing a narrow victory that booked their place in the semi-finals.

The Buccaneers have been enjoying an impressive run of form under head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, with the victory over Sekhukhune extending their winning streak to six consecutive matches across all competitions.

For Zothwane, attention will now shift towards helping his players recover from the disappointment and improve their performances in upcoming fixtures.

Sekhukhune have shown that they can compete against some of the strongest teams in South African football, but their repeated losses against Pirates highlight an area that requires attention.

The coach will hope his team can learn from the latest encounter and produce a different outcome when both sides meet again in the future.

Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates will take confidence from another victory over Sekhukhune as they continue their pursuit of silverware this season.

Source