Orlando Pirates warned to forget MTN8 win before Sekhukhune rematch

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi says his side cannot rely on their recent victory over Sekhukhune United when the teams meet again in the league on Tuesday.

The Buccaneers defeated Sekhukhune 1-0 in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, with Deon Hotto scoring the decisive goal in the first half.

However, the teams will face one another for a second time in only a few days, and Ncikazi expects the league fixture to provide a different tactical test.

The match will be played at the Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto, with kick-off scheduled for 19:30.

Pirates’ victory in the cup meeting gave them an advantage ahead of the rematch, but Ncikazi has urged the squad to focus on what still needs to improve rather than draw confidence solely from the previous result.

“We respect what happened in the previous match,” Ncikazi told the club’s media.

“We appreciate the result, but we don’t live on previous results. It will be an interesting match tactically, having the same opponent two or three times in one week.

“We take the lessons from the previous match and try to concentrate on our performance and improve. If we do that, we are going to get a positive outcome on Tuesday.”

The Pirates assistant coach’s comments underline the demands of preparing for the same opponent on successive occasions. While the recent MTN8 meeting provides useful information for both teams, Ncikazi believes the immediate priority must be to deliver another strong performance.

The Buccaneers will also have to adjust their plans because midfielder Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi will not be available for the second meeting.

Maswanganyi has completed a surprise move away from Orlando Pirates to join Bahraini Premier League side Alkhaldiya Sports Club. His departure leaves the Soweto club without one of its key midfielders for the important midweek fixture.

Ncikazi and head coach Jose Riveiro must therefore make changes to their starting line-up as Pirates attempt to reproduce the result from Saturday’s MTN8 encounter.

The absence of Maswanganyi is a significant disruption to the club’s preparations, particularly with the two sides meeting again so soon after their opening contest. Pirates will now need to find a new balance in midfield while also responding to the tactical adjustments expected from Sekhukhune United.

Despite the personnel change and the short turnaround between matches, Ncikazi remains focused on the lessons from the first game rather than its outcome. For Pirates, Tuesday’s fixture offers another opportunity to apply those lessons, but the assistant coach has made clear that Saturday’s 1-0 win will not count for anything unless his side improves its performance in the rematch.