Akan worried at Pirates

ORLANDO Pirates coach Ali Akan is worried about his misfiring strikers who have now landed the team at the base of the table.

The Buccaneers lost both their weekend premiership matches, a worrying situation for Akan and the fans. Pirates only scored one goal in their 1-all draw against Friends at the weekend through midfielder Patrick Jagger, but failed to find the net against defending champions Civics the next day.Akan said he was concerned about the wastefulness of his strikers in front of goal, especially against Friends at the Reho Stadium in Rehoboth.”We could have scored at least ten goals.But the players just wasted.In general I am not too worried about the way they play, but missing the target is the biggest concern,” he said.Akan, who took over as head coach from Brian Isaacks at the start of the second round, said the strikers have a duty to score goals and they need to start doing that soon.Pirates have won only three of their 13 matches and have only garnered 11 points, compared to table-toppers Civics, who sit on 27 points after two successful wins at the weekend.Pirates were left wanting against Civics on Sunday, running out as 2-0 losers as Civics dynamo Rudi Louw first scored after a majestic solo run from his own half, before William Chilufya finished off business.With the demanding Pirates fans, Akan will be under pressure as the side travels to Walvis Bay to meet Eleven Arrows and Blue Waters this weekend, two teams that will also prove too rigid for Pirates at their home ground.Club bosses Mabos Vries and Mabos Ortmann are not impressed with the results, but have both expressed confidence in Akan, whom they believe will turn the tables as time progresses.Meanwhile, Civics reconfirmed their status as defending champions by picking up six valuable points after their pride was torn apart by Eleven Arrows in a cup competition just over a week ago.The side is destined for their third consecutive title, but are kept in check by Ramblers, who also picked up six points to place them in second spot with 24 points.Despite a weakened defence, Civics stepped up to the plate and masterfully buried Black Africa 2-0 on Friday night, before they paralysed the Pirates midfield through which Civics eventually brokered their two goals for a win.Civics will be away to Oshakati City and Golden Bees next weekend, matches that can also produce surprises as City have given a good account of themselves by so far winning seven of their 13 matches, placing them third on the log.City, led by former Civics striker Cascas Angula, has been in good form and their hunger for goals saw them dismissing Tigers 2-1 on Saturday, before narrowly falling 1-0 to Ramblers on Sunday.Black Africa, despite the presence of the big-framed former Brave Warriors keeper Ronnie Kanalelo in goal, failed to post any wins from their two encounters at the weekend.The ‘Lively Lions’ were embarrassed by a low-rated Friends unit that won 3-2 at the Reho Stadium on Sunday, a result that just added more misery to their earlier 2-0 loss to Civics on Friday.BA have been hitting the target more frequently in the early rounds of the MTC NFA Cup competition, but their unstable midfield and the indecisiveness of their strikers have made matters difficult.Eleven Arrows coach Lucky Shipanga has instilled a sense of winning in the team and at the weekend they collected six vital points which lifted them up from the relegation zone.African Stars, Tigers and Blue Waters all posted single wins, while dropping three points in the process.SKW had a worthless trip to the coast as they lost both their weekend matches, first 1-0 to Blue Waters and then 3-1 to Arrows.SKW coach Richard Starke has a good record in cup competitions as they usually reach the final stages, but the league has been a headache for the young side.They have only won four of their 13 league matches.Pirates only scored one goal in their 1-all draw against Friends at the weekend through midfielder Patrick Jagger, but failed to find the net against defending champions Civics the next day.Akan said he was concerned about the wastefulness of his strikers in front of goal, especially against Friends at the Reho Stadium in Rehoboth.”We could have scored at least ten goals.But the players just wasted.In general I am not too worried about the way they play, but missing the target is the biggest concern,” he said.Akan, who took over as head coach from Brian Isaacks at the start of the second round, said the strikers have a duty to score goals and they need to start doing that soon.Pirates have won only three of their 13 matches and have only garnered 11 points, compared to table-toppers Civics, who sit on 27 points after two successful wins at the weekend.Pirates were left wanting against Civics on Sunday, running out as 2-0 losers as Civics dynamo Rudi Louw first scored after a majestic solo run from his own half, before William Chilufya finished off business.With the demanding Pirates fans, Akan will be under pressure as the side travels to Walvis Bay to meet Eleven Arrows and Blue Waters this weekend, two teams that will also prove too rigid for Pirates at their home ground.Club bosses Mabos Vries and Mabos Ortmann are not impressed with the results, but have both expressed confidence in Akan, whom they believe will turn the tables as time progresses.Meanwhile, Civics reconfirmed their status as defending champions by picking up six valuable points after their pride was torn apart by Eleven Arrows in a cup competition just over a week ago.The side is destined for their third consecutive title, but are kept in check by Ramblers, who also picked up six points to place them in second spot with 24 points.Despite a weakened defence, Civics stepped up to the plate and masterfully buried Black Africa 2-0 on Friday night, before they paralysed the Pirates midfield through which Civics eventually brokered their two goals for a win.Civics will be away to Oshakati City and Golden Bees next weekend, matches that can also produce surprises as City have given a good account of themselves by so far winning seven of their 13 matches, placing them third on the log.City, led by former Civics striker Cascas Angula, has been in good form and their hunger for goals saw them dismissing Tigers 2-1 on Saturday, before narrowly falling 1-0 to Ramblers on Sunday.Black Africa, despite the presence of the big-framed former Brave Warriors keeper Ronnie Kanalelo in goal, failed to post any wins from their two encounters at the weekend.The ‘Lively Lions’ were embarrassed by a low-rated Friends unit that won 3-2 at the Reho Stadium on Sunday, a result that just added more misery to their earlier 2-0 loss to Civics on Friday.BA have been hitting the target more frequently in the early rounds of the MTC NFA Cup competition, but their unstable midfield and the indecisiveness of their strikers have made matters difficult.Eleven Arrows coach Lucky Shipanga has instilled a sense of winning in the team and at the weekend they collected six vital points which lifted them up from the relegation zone.African Stars, Tigers and Blue Waters all posted single wins, while dropping three points in the process. SKW had a worthless trip to the coast as they lost both their weekend matches, first 1-0 to Blue Waters and then 3-1 to Arrows.SKW coach Richard Starke has a good record in cup competitions as they usually reach the final stages, but the league has been a headache for the young side.They have only won four of their 13 league matches.