Leal: Staying positive

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Leal: All is not lost in Africa

Orlando Pirates coach Julio Leal says all is not lost following a 3-1 defeat to Recreativo do Libolo in the CAF Champions League at the weekend.

Pirtates - touted as pre-tournament contenders - went down to a quick-fire brace from Maieco Domingos Henrique, coupled with a second-half effort by Henri Camara, while Rooi Mahamutsa scored a late consolation goal at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Leal, speaking to the PSL’s official website, sees no reason why his men can’t hit back when they visit the Angolan champions in the return leg next month.

“We played to our maximum strengths, we didn’t start the game in a positive way and it was not a good performance at all as the players made two mistakes and we were punished,” claimed the Brazilian tactician.

“The game is not over if they scored three goals in our home ground, with our minds in the right frame I think we can get three goals in Angola if the players are confident and are hungry to progress to the next round.”

The Sea Robbers - the only South African team to win the event - are seeking to emulate their 1995 heroics.