Guy Bukasa surprised by Abdeslam Ouaddou's tactical gamble in Champions League tie

Pirates were knocked out by the Congolese side after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout defeat, following a 3-3 draw on aggregate — ending their hopes of reaching the group stages.

Speaking after the match, Bukasa revealed that he hadn't expected Ouaddou to omit both of his traditional forwards, Tshegofatso Mabasa and Yanela Mbuthuma, from the starting lineup.

"Honestly, yes, I was surprised," Bukasa told reporters. "But it didn't change much in their organisation. They kept the ball, tried to use the width and come inside to create spaces close to them."

Bukasa credited Pirates for adapting during the game, noting that their long-range attempts caused Lupopo problems.

"When they decided to shoot from distance, they found some solutions," he added.

"We knew they would continue to keep the ball with players like [Oswin] Appollis and [Tshepang] Moremi doing the same things."

Mabasa remained on the bench, while Mbuthuma was introduced in the second half and went on to score Pirates' second goal — but it wasn't enough to prevent elimination.

"So yes, I was surprised by the decision to play without a real number nine, but it didn't make them less dangerous," he concluded.