I didn’t see it coming. Did anyone? Orlando Pirates’ Nedbank Cup humiliation at the hands of the students of Maluti FET College on Saturday afternoon, was as staggering as it was emphatic.
Here was a Buccaneers side that had conceded five goals in 15 league games since Roger De Sa took the reins, letting in four in one game against a side from the third tier of South African football. How exactly do you explain that, as well as a Bucs attacking display that made a mockery of their array of talent?
Well, let’s give it a go. I think the best place to start, before we break the Bucs down, is to lavish praise on Maluti. Inspired, no doubt, by the prospect of facing Pirates, the Morena Ramoreboli’s college side were superb, pulling Pirates apart with their sharp passing game, and delivering some set pieces that would put much of the Absa Premiership to shame. Defender Mashale Rantabane showed astute positional sense inside the opposition penalty area to nod home his brace, while there was nothing fortunate about the astute finishing of Lucky Mokoena, his second half header beyond the reach of Senzo Meyiwa particularly brilliant.
But what of Pirates? De Sa did tweak his side, with a tough campaign in the Absa Premiership and CAF Champions League in mind. And it patently did not work. The incompetence of Bheki Nzunga and Ayanda Gcaba at the heart of the Bucs defence only served to reinforce the importance of Lucky Lekgwathi, even at 36, to this Pirates side. Midfielder Lehlohonolo Maselesa was so anonymous he was substituted by De Sa at the break. And up front Rudolf Bester failed with two decent opportunities to draw Pirates level.
Perhaps De Sa, on reflection, should have played a stronger side. But he is entitled to think that reserves like Nzunga, Maselesa and Bester are better than this. After all, later that evening, Stuart Baxter made changes to his Kaizer Chiefs line-up, even switching formation, and they were still way too good for Absa Premiership rivals Wits. Does this mean Chiefs have a better squad than Pirates this season? As the title race hots up, we will get more answers.
So to Oupa Manyisa’s assertion to kickoff.com that Pirates did not take Maluti “seriously”. I just can’t buy this. After all, only a week earlier, Pirates were taking a side from the Comoros seriously enough to thump them 5-0 in the CAF Champions League.
Nope, I’d rather put it down to a bit of Maluti playing well, Pirates playing badly, and the old unpredictable magic of football that keeps us all glued to the beautiful game. - The Star