Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye wasn’t too impressed how Orlando Pirates played in the first half of their last-32 Nedbank Cup against All Stars, but he sung praises for Thembinkosi Lorch who was coming back from injury.
Lorch came on for Kabelo Dlamini in the second half and scored Pirates’ second goal against the Motsepe Foundation Championship side at the Bidvest stadium on Saturday.
Khanye believes the introduction of the 29-year-old saying the Bafana Bafana international changed the complexion of the game.
“By bringing in Thembinkosi Lorch I think that’s where the complexion of the game changed. Lorch is the one who changed the whole dimension of the game with his decision making, and his runs,” he said on iDiski TV.
“I think Kabelo [Dlamini] has learnt, I hope he saw when Lorch came in that when you play in that position, you don’t have to touch the ball for a long time but decision-making is more important.
“When he [Lorch] came in he created about three chances and he scored a beautiful [goal]. He created that ball, it wasn’t scored then he ran into the box and finished it himself with his left foot.
“Even Saleng’s goal it was Lorch who played it to [Terrence] Dzvukamanja, he stretched the defence with his run, when Dzvukamanja controlled the ball Pirates scored.
“Other than that this game, in the first half I didn’t see Pirates, I didn’t see All Stars either. It was only in the second half after the Lorch change.
“Even Ndlondlo [Phillip] started playing according to his strengths like if there was an open space up front he’d play there. He was losing the ball unnecessarily with the long balls. I think they told him in the second half to play to his strengths.
“Good win for Orlando Pirates, definitely they were playing inexperience. Second half this team was dead in terms of energy, they were drained because first half they ran a lot without doing anything but sharing the ball.
“Credit to them for sharing the ball but they need to know that in this game results count. Upfront you need to be deadly.
“I loved Lorch’s goal because how will you score as an attacker if you don’t change direction. There was a change of gear and a change of direction. There wasn’t a defender that wasn’t troubled so credit to Orlando Pirates, for bringing in Lorch because this game was dead.”
You can watch Khanye’s full analysis of the game on iDiski TV official YouTube channel.
