Evidence Makgopa of Orlando Pirates celebrates goal with teammates during the Betway Premiership 2024/25 match between Orlando Pirates and Polokwane City at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on 24 September 2024
Nokwanda Zondi, Backpages
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro could be planning another cup final surprise against his equally highly tactical counterpart Steve Barker of Stellenbosch FC in their match this weekend.
Pirates will take on Stellenbosch in the eagerly awaited MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening as Riveiro aims for another title defence for the Soweto giants to claim the trophy a third successive time.
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In the previous cup final, as the Buccaneers emerged as champions against Mamelodi Sundowns, Riveiro appeared to have got the better of Rulani Mokwena in planning, during the Nedbank Cup in June.
While many thought that Riveiro would start the match with Bucs’ leading striker Tshegofatso Mabasa and Relebohile Mofokeng who has been a revelation for the club since his promotion, the Spanish tactician had other ideas.
Mabasa and Mofokeng were introduced later in the game, as Riveiro opted for Evidence Makgopa to lead the line in the opening stanza.
The decision paid off as Mofokeng emerged as the hero for Pirates after scoring a last-minute winner to seal the 2-1 victory at Mbombela Stadium.
“With the coach, you may never know, planning is what he is good at. Don’t be surprised if something like what happened there (in Mbombela) happens again in terms of selection. Evidence came off the bench and scored two goals recently (against Polokwane City), and that didn’t go unnoticed,” said the source.
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Meanwhile, Pirates have had the likes of Olisa Ndah and Monnapule Saleng notably absent from the line-up in the previous match against Richards Bay FC owing to respective injuries, as the likes of captain Innocent Maela, Gilberto, Nkosinathi Sibisi and the young Mohau Nkota got some minutes on the field.
Paseka Mako also made his long-awaited return in the dying minutes, following his long layoff due to injury.
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