WeeklySA_AdminCAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Junior Ngobe insists Pirates were cautious in Egypt and predicts weekend derby against Chiefs
By Masoja Cele
Orlando Pirates Caf Champions League loss to Pyramids FC last week was a bitter pill to swallow to the Buccaneers legion of followers and to the South African patriotic football lovers.
Many supporters including Bucs legend Dumisa “Sphithiphithi” Ngobe, raised their dissatisfaction about the manner in which the team bowed out of Africa’s prestigious trophy.
Speaking to SA Weekly Mirror this week, this is how Ngobe dissected the “painful 3-2 loss” in Cairo, Egypt, last week: “I believe we lost the match because coach Jose Riveiro failed to utilised the depth the team presently enjoys.
“When we led 2-1 we had all the opportunities to kill the game, but our defence got disjointed, with Thapelo Xoki and Nkosinathi Sibisi badly letting down the team.
“We could have gone for a block defence to frustrate our opponents. We led the proceedings twice, but failed to protect the lead.
“During the first leg at Orlando Stadium, the Egyptian showed composure and the sterner stuff they are made of. “The two goals they scored, and disallowed by the VAR, were signs we were to face an uphill battle in Cairo. “So, it was important for coach Riveiro to change the tactics. Pyramids striker Fiston Mayele gave us a rough time at home, but we still failed to contain him during the second leg, and so he found room to torment our defence and scored a brace. “I couldn’t believe it when coach Riveiro replaced the on-form Mohau Nkota with Patrick Maswanganyi. Besides scoring the second goal, Nkota remained a thorn on the side of the Egyptians’ midfield and defence.
“Whenever in possession, he was surrounded by three to four of Pyramids players, an indication the team was wary of his immense talent.”
Ngobe added that Nkotha and Relebohile Mofokeng are great players, but need protection from senior players, and that Pirates need an individual player “that could carry the entire team on his shoulders when the dice is loaded heavily against them. Turning to the second-round derby against Kaizer Chiefs scheduled for FNB Stadium tomorrow (Saturday), former Mpumalanga Witbank Aces and Pirates midfield, Ngobe said “derbies are always tricky, and so you simply have to throw form book through the window”, because any prediction based on form “count for nothing”.
He contends that “the two bulls are playing for points”, with Pirates gunning for a top spot on the log, while Amakhosi, aware of a string of past poor performances, could prove a dangerous and a threat to Bucs ambition to unseat Mamelodi Sundowns at the top. The Sea Robbers are licking the wounds. This follows their defeat to Pyramids, and may want to fly high to redeem their dented ego.
However, this Betway PSL fixture promises to be a closely contested derby, yet based on form book, Bucs must be favoured to take the bacon home, not without being ruffled by a real wounded Amakhosi side. A win for Pirates, but a surprise come back by Chiefs could be a possibility, if Pirates let down guards.
But Ngobe is confident that Pirates will look up to their two on-form teenagers Nkotha and Mofokeng to unsettle the Chiefs team – and for victory.
Yet, there is a sense of ambivalence in Ngobe’s tone. He maintains that the Glamour Boys, desperate for a win, may just be helped by wonder kid, Wandile Duba, to cross the line, and give Amakhosi a day to celebrate spring a surprise win and cause an upset against Pirates.
