Pirates handed heavy defeat by Vitesse in Netherlands tour opener
Orlando Pirates’ Netherlands tour got off to a difficult start after the Buccaneers were beaten 5-0 by SBV Vitesse at the Papendal Sportcomplex on Tuesday.
The match was the first of a series of friendlies for the Pirates side, who earned the opportunity to tour the Netherlands after their success in the DStv Diski Challenge.
Vitesse wasted little time taking control of the contest, opening the scoring just four minutes into the match. Pirates struggled to deal with the hosts’ physical approach and found themselves under sustained pressure for much of the opening half.
The Dutch side added two more goals before the break to take a 3-0 advantage into half-time. Pirates only began to show more attacking intent late in the first half, registering their first effort on target in the closing stages.
There was a better response from the Buccaneers after the restart as they created opportunities and showed more composure in possession. However, their improved display did not translate into goals as they failed to find a way past the Vitesse defence.
Pirates’ task became even more difficult in the 65th minute when Oscar Gqeke was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Vitesse made the extra-man advantage count, scoring from the resulting free-kick before adding another goal to complete the 5-0 win.
The defeat gives Pirates plenty to assess ahead of their next outing in the Netherlands, with De Graafschap awaiting them on Thursday.
The Buccaneers will be looking for a much stronger performance as they continue preparations for the new season.
