‘We are grateful to our supporters for what they have done,’ said the Pirates captain.
Orlando Pirates captain Mbekezeli Mbokazi has called on Buccaneers fans to continue to get behind the team.
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Pirates are yet to win a match this season under new head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou. The Buccaneers will look to change that on Wednesday evening when they host Stellenbosch FC in the Betway Premiership at Orlando Stadium.
Pirates confidence boost
Pirates’ hopes of winning the Premiership title have already suffered a huge blow with consecutive defeats to Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants.
The side’s confidence, however, got a much-needed boost as they held Mamelodi Sundowns to a 1-1 draw in an MTN8 semifinal first leg at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
“We are grateful to our supporters for what they have done, and we hope they will continue rallying behind us,” Mbokazi told Pirates media after Kamogelo Sebelebele’s late goal rescued a draw to take to Tshwane this weekend.
“Their support gave us hope that we’d be able to come back and equalise, thank you very much.”
Mbokazi is just 19, but a sign of the esteem in which he is held at Pirates was shown when he was named as one of the vice-captains ahead of the new season.
With club captain Nkosinathi Sibisi out injured, it was Mbokazi who wore the armband against Sundowns
“It was tough for us to compete today,” added Mbokazi.
“The coach and the technical team told us what to do to come back in the game. We came back and we fought because it wasn’t over, and we managed to score a goal to show our fighting spirit.”
Stellenbosch also failed to win either of their first two Premiership games of the season, losing at home to Kaizer Chiefs and then drawing at Magesi.
Steve Barker’s side, however, also gave themselves a lift in the MTN8 last weekend, beating Sekhukhune 2-0 at home to take a healthy lead into the second leg.
Stellies pipped Pirates last season
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Now the sides that finished second (Pirates) and third (Stellies) in the table last season need to get their top flight campaigns off the ground.
Stellies did win this corresponding fixture last season, Devin Titus’s strike enough to give Barker’s men a 1-0 win at Orlando Stadium.