Mamelodi Sundowns are too good, honestly have top players - admits Orlando Pirates coach Zinnbauer

Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer admitted that Mamelodi Sundowns were the better side following their Nedbank Cup quarter-final match on Thursday evening. 

Masandawana proved too strong for the Buccaneers as they claimed a 4-1 win over their Gauteng rivals in an entertaining match which was played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Zinnbauer was left to rue his side's missed chances in the first-half which saw Frank Mhango miss three good chances and ultimately, Pirates were eliminated from the tournament. 

"Yeah, disappointed, it's clear the result looks not 100 percent the game but it was not enough today you can win this game," Zinnbauer told SuperSport TV.

"In the first-half, ten, 20 minutes were completely out of the game, we were not in, then we get the goal, then maybe it was a wake up call, we came closer to our goals, then we scored.

"Then we had two chances to score [but] we had unluck, second-half the same, we come out, we were not in [the game], then we concede and then you play all or nothing."

The German tactician, who is in his first full season as Pirates coach, lauded the reigning PSL and Nedbank Cup champions Sundowns as a team with top players.

"You have to manage the game more in offence and you step out of the defence line and you have to try to score, we did but we did not the 100 percent responsibility that we can score," he said.

"We had a little bit of unluck, but then you get the counter-attack, Sundowns too good, honestly they have top players on the field, they play very well in the [Caf] Champions League, they play very well in the league.

"So finally you play for all or nothing and then in the last ten minutes we make more forward and then you get the goals, it's a problem."

Zinnbauer also pointed that his charges were not good enough on the night which saw Pirates concede four goals for the first time this season. 

"But I say again, the performance was not enough, Sundowns were better but the result looks a little bit too high or we have more goals on our side," he continued.

"It's not the team alone from us, it was Sundowns, they make this very good they come with high pressure and we find not the solution, we were too long on the ball, we don't play quick enough to get the solution.

"This is the reason, maybe they had too much respect I don't know but after the game you don't have the right answer, you have to watch again," he added. 

"I'll watch my game again and then we find the points where we have to improve the next game. We know focus on the other side, I say it again Sundowns were better today."