Orlando Pirates will visit Richards Bay on Friday buoyed by a recent uptick in form at a crucial stage of the Betway Premiership season, with Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis the stars of the show.
Mofokeng and Appollis each scored twice in Pirates’ 5-0 win over Golden Arrows, which came off the back of a 6-0 drubbing of TS Galaxy.
These two wins on either side of the international break have done wonders for Pirates’ goal difference – and, no doubt, their confidence. However, they trail Mamelodi Sundowns by two points with seven games left in the league season.
Sundowns will not play this weekend, as they will be in CAF Champions League semi-final action away to Espérance de Tunis on Sunday. Pirates can leapfrog them for the time being and put huge pressure on Miguel Cardoso’s charges ahead of the Brazilians’ Wednesday visit to Polokwane City.
Mofokeng has been linked with clubs across the globe, with AS Monaco the most recent club widely reported to be interested. This may be Pirates’ last chance to win a Premiership title with him in the team, and despite an abundance of quality wingers, it will become far more difficult for the Buccaneers once he has left for pastures new.
“I don’t like to speak individually about the players, you know, because for me, I always say that the individuality, or the individual project, should be at the service of the collective project,” said Ouaddou after the drubbing of Arrows at the Orlando Amstel Arena.
“But as you ask me that question, let me say these kinds of players you get like every 10 or 15 years.
“He has talent. It is in his blood, he’s still young. Of course, we need to give him some instruction in order to be even more efficient, especially in that area (of the field) where there are a lot of duels. It’s crowded,” added the coach.
“The talent he has, technicality yes, the intelligence – he has this, but sometimes when you have such quality like that, you misuse these qualities. Our job is just to make him aware that there are some strategic areas on the pitch where he needs to limit his touches and to use his cleverness.
“He has been doing this for a lot of games now. You can see that he’s able to give assists to his teammates. He’s able to score, he’s very mobile in the middle.
“Some people think that he cannot play as a No 10. I think he can play everywhere [across the attacking line].”
Key details
Date: Friday, April 10 at 19:30 CAT (17:30 GMT)
Venue: Richards Bay Stadium
How to watch: The match is scheduled to air on SuperSport’s DSTV channel 202 (SuperSport PSL).
Team news
After a period on the sidelines, attacking midfielder Sipho Mbule appears to be fully fit to contribute to Orlando Pirates’ title charge against his former club, Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, he is no longer a regular starter. The same applies to right-back Deano van Rooyen, who also came off the bench against Arrows.
Centre-back Tapelo Xoki and attacking midfielder Kabelo Dlamini remain out of action, with Xoki continuing his rehab after an injury picked up in a freak car accident and Dlamini’s current fitness unknown despite previous reports of an injury.
Expected lineups
Richards Bay
GK Ian Otieno
LB Sbani Mntungwa | CB Simphiwe Mcineka | CB Zulu Sbangani | RB Thembela Sikhakhane
CM Lindokuhle Zikhali | CM Baggio Tuli-Ngenovali Nashixwa | CM Moses Mthembu
LW Sanele Barns | ST Siyabonga Nzama | RW Thulani Gumede
Orlando Pirates
GK Sipho Chaine
LB Deon Hotto | CB Nkosinathi Sibisi | CB Lebone Seema | RB Kamogelo Sebelebele
CM Thalente Mbatha | CM Masindi Nemtajela
LW Tshepang Moremi | AM Relebohile Mofokeng | RW Oswin Appollis
ST Yanela Mbuthuma
Stats
Relebohile Mofokeng has scored 5 goals in his last 2 games for Orlando Pirates.
Oswin Appollis has 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 2 games for Orlando Pirates, which came either side of his goal for Bafana Bafana against Panama over the international break.
