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Pirates draw boosts FS Stars

Johannesburg - A draw against Orlando Pirates gave Free State Stars a glimmer of hope for survival ahead of their last game of the season, according to Stars coach Kinnah Phiri.

"This goal we got that gave us one point has given us some momentum going to the next game," said Phiri.

"I think it's a good point for us and it will help us fight till the end.

"I am sure the next game, which is the only one remaining for us, we will be more positive. There were lots of positives from this game, the boys fought very hard and we didn't deserve to concede a goal today."

Richard Henyekane scored in the 90th minute to cancel out Ayanda Gcaba's goal to earn the valuable point for Ea Lla Koto.

The Stars mentor has targeted the next game to make amends as they seek nothing less than maximum points.

"We have been giving teams these kind of free goals which is not good at all for the team but as the coach I have to work on that and I will try my best to make sure the remaining game is handled properly."

Although unhappy with a draw, Pirates coach Vladmir Vermezovic was pleased with the way his charges performed on the night.

"Maybe we didn't play like we did in previous games but we played with lots of discipline," said Vermezovic.

"Maybe we lacked fresh legs but at the end of the day we got one point here. They scored the goal and it looked offside but it's not my job to be discussing the referee's decision."

Vermezovic believes Pirates will return to their best form which saw them win the treble in past seasons.

"We will get there for sure. I mean we have quality players and good strikers. They will start scoring for sure," he said.

Stars face Moroka Swallows in their last game of the campaign while Pirates take on the already relegated Golden Arrows on Saturday.

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