Cape Town City interim head coach Muhsin Ertugral has lifted the lid on how Orlando Pirates beat teams and how they counteracted the Soweto giants' tactics.
Pirates were denied a chance to go top of the Betway Premiership after a 1-0 defeat to City through a late goal by Darwin Gonzalez.
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They had a number of chances in the first half, with Ertugral suggesting they managed their opponents well in the second stanza, after he brought on Haashim Domingo and Kamohelo Mokotjo straight from the interval.
"We knew exactly what they do. On the sides, they lure us out and very quickly, extremely quickly, with a lot of speed and agility, they get into your pockets," Ertugral explained to journalists in a post-match press conference at DHL Stadium.
"So, they want to come into the red zone and into the goal zone. We fell a couple of times into traps and that made me to do substitutions and after that we had stability.
"So, second half I can say, the whole second half, the longer the game goes, the more frustrated they came and the more frustrated they became, the more problems they created themselves. Overcooked balls, no patience, and we knew when that happens, we will win the game," he added.
There was a general feeling from Pirates supporters, and perhaps the team too, that they deserved to win, especially after Patrick Maswanganyi had a penalty hitting the post.
However, the Turkish coach and said there's no such as thing as deserving to win in football.
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"When, how, entries, low blocks, these are all elements you need to look into, that we can talk now hours and hours. Also, luck was on our side. In football, it is very much important.
"Some have been taken, some you have to give and I hear 'deserve to win'. Football is not about deserving to win. The one who loses, loses because he deserves to lose, simple as that," the veteran tactician said.