Moremi urges Orlando Pirates to stay calm after early title setback

Orlando Pirates winger Tshepang Moremi has called for patience after the defending Betway Premiership champions dropped points against Usuthu, a result that could give Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns an opportunity to open an early gap at the top of the table.

Moremi, speaking to Orlando Pirates’ media team, played down concerns surrounding the club’s start to the campaign and stressed that only two matches had been played. The attacker said the remainder of the season remained impossible to predict and that the Buccaneers had no reason to panic.

Pirates were held to a 1-1 draw by Usuthu at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Wednesday night, suffering an early blow in their attempt to retain the league title.

The home side went ahead when Moremi scored against his former club. However, Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya converted a penalty late in the first half to bring the visitors level, with neither team able to find a decisive second goal.

The dropped points have left the door open for rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns to take advantage when they play on Saturday. A victory for either side would allow them to increase the pressure on Pirates at the beginning of the title race.

Moremi, however, believes it is too soon to draw firm conclusions from the result. He said the players had expected a difficult contest and should focus on maintaining their unity rather than becoming distracted by the league table.

“We knew the game wasn’t going to be easy, but we didn’t have to put ourselves under pressure because the league had only just started.

“This was just the beginning, and we didn’t know what the future held for us. What mattered was that we didn’t give up.”

The forward also called on his team-mates to continue working for one another as the season develops.

“We had to keep working hard, and the love that existed within the team had to remain. We needed to continue supporting one another going forward.”

Moremi admitted he was pleased to score at a ground where he has enjoyed considerable success, having previously represented Usuthu. He said his familiarity with Durban gave him confidence that he would eventually find the net and that the point could still prove valuable.

“I felt happy because I knew I was going to score at some point. Durban loves me, and this is where I had scored a lot of goals. I believed that getting a point would help us going forward.”

Orlando Pirates remain second in the Betway Premiership standings and will have an immediate chance to respond when they face Chippa United at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium on Sunday.

Victory in that match would allow the Sea Robbers to recover some of the ground lost against Usuthu and keep their title defence on course, although the early standings could change significantly after the weekend’s fixtures.