University of Pretoria coach Steve Barker says his team’s game-plan of closing down Orlando Pirates’ influential players worked well yesterday.

Tuks got a valuable away point as they drew 0-0 with the defending champions at Soccer City on Saturday evening, extending Pirates run without a win to four Premiership matches.

The visibly excited Steve Barker was full of praise for his team.

“Congratulations to the boys for working hard and fighting as a unit, coming up against a team like Orlando Pirates away we proved that we are not an easy team to beat.

“We came with a game-plan to close down the players that we feel are influential in the Pirates team. In the first half it did not work well for us as we allowed them a lot of space but in the second half we instructed the young Junior Sibande to man-mark Andile Jali and had someone taking on Oupa Manyisa.

“It did work well, especially on Andile as Sibande also broke through as a result of that, but the goalkeeper saved.

“We also played very well in the second half though they had some good chances and should have scored. But we also had a great chance and with better luck we would have scored at the end.”

Sibande is normally not a central midfielder but was played in that position against Pirates, and Barker says he is happy to mix things up with the youth in his squad.

“We have a young team and that is why I am not scared of throwing youngsters in any position. I needed someone to do the job on Jali and Junior Sibande was the one.

“Dipsy Selolwane was supposed to play but he had just recovered from a hamstring injury and we could not risk him to play 90. Hence the reason I opted for Junior Sibande. The experience they get in such a game is invaluable and I am very happy about their performance.”

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