Chippa United head coach Kwanele Kopo says they knew the threat posed by Monnapule Saleng and that he's disappointed the plan was not followed to the letter.
Chippa had a good start after going ahead half-way into the first stanza thanks to a wonder goal by Andile Jali against his former team.
However, United conceded a penalty on the stroke of half-time scored by Tshegofatso Mabasa and were caught in the last minutes of the game again after Saleng snatched the winner for the Buccaneers.
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The former Pretoria Callies mentor explained that they were prepared for Saleng coming from deep and bursting into the box, after he created a penalty with such a run that triggered a foul from Malebogo Modise.
"Ja, that side we had a problem in that Saleng drops and we said to Modise, the same thing we experienced last year when we played here, we said to them, 'When Saleng drops, don't follow him, because they are looking for a space behind'," Kopo explained.
"Before the penalty, he did it two or three times, we were busy calling him but we struggled that side because we took a gamble with Aya, because he was not really getting the support with the cover.
"We knew about it but Saleng I think was much more sharper and we didn't provide cover enough.
"But very disappointing to concede at the end when you've got five at the back and Pirates have three free players from a cross. I'm very disappointed with that," Kopo added.