Zinnbauer issues rallying call to his Pirates troops to rise to the occasion against Celtic

Fortune Makaringe of Orlando Pirates celebrates goal with teammates during the 2020 MTN8 Semi Final football match between Chiefs and Pirates at Soccer City on 08 November 2020 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has issued a rallying call to his troops to rise to the occasion when they take on Bloemfontein Celtic in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Pirates are looking for their first trophy in six years and the German mentor want his players to handle pressure against the Celtic side that has proved to be difficult to beat under coach John Maduka.

“You always have pressure because as a team you want to win the game‚” said Zinnbauer this week as they prepared for the clash.

“We are in the final now and we have to do all that we can to win the match. It is one game that will come and be finished and we have opponents who have the same motivation. It is important to find the right players for the match‚ the right system and have a good game.”

Zinnbauer added that cup finals are often about the small margins and he hopes that close calls and key moments in the game go favourably for his side.

“It is not always about the performance in cup games but its small things maybe the referee‚ a mistake‚ a red card or whatever it is going to happen in the game. But we have to prepare very well as a group because pressure is always there. It’s our job to work with pressure and it is the same with the players to work with pressure.”

Pirates have lost four cup finals since they last laid their hands on some silverware in the form of the Nedbank Cup in 2014.

“I think when you lose a game‚ it is a good experience for you. Its negative yes‚ but it is an experience that can help you to improve and be positive. For me it is not important how many players lost cup finals in this team. They have an opportunity to win and if you are a player then you have a chance and you have to do all what you can to win the cup. You go out to you give more than 100 percent and if we fight we have a chance to win the cup.”

By Mahlatse Mphahlele – TimesLIVE

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