Orlando Pirates have several exciting young players on their books and an astute manager. This winter could prove critical.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi is already a household name in Mzansi
5 March 2025 might go down as a big day in the history of the club. 19-year-old Mbekezeli Mbokazi, affectionately known as TLB, made his Orlando Pirates debut. We might look back on that as a huge watershed moment. It was a 1-0 win for Pirates and, fittingly, Mbokazi marked his bow with a clean sheet. It’s the first of many, and DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] head coach Joseph Makhanya has played a big role in his rise to prominence.
Rave reviews
Mbokazi started subsequent matches against SuperSport in the Nedbank Cup (he scored the opener in a 2-2 draw, Pirates eventually prevailed on penalties) and against Stellenbosch in a 0-0 draw. Mbokazi was the Man of the Match in that thrilling cup tie against Matsatsantsa and repeated the trick by earning the accolade in Pirates’ 2-1 win over Sundowns. It’s a result that will breathe new life into their title challenge.
A captain in the making
Mbokazi is physically gifted and only going to mature further as he exits his teens. Blessed with a natural aptitude to defend danger on the ground, the 19-year-old is also known for his crisp distribution over both short and longer distances and natural leadership ability. It’s not often cultured left-footers are also so aggressive in the tackle. In fact, when last did you see a player with this broad and unique skill set? We’re going to be seeing a lot of this guy in a Pirates and Bafana jersey for years to come.
Mbokazi and Orlando Pirates shift their focus to the Champions League
Meanwhile, Pirates will be quietly confident they can stamp their ticket into the Champions League semi-finals. They face the Algerian side MC Alger over two legs in the quarter-finals. The first leg takes place on Tuesday, 01 April at 21:00. Alger are in charge of the Algerian Ligue 1 with a seven-point lead at the summit after 20 league outings.
Riveiro coy on his future
In a recent interview on the Bucs Camp series, Spanish tactician Riveiro addressed ongoing speculation around his future. He’s kept his cards close to his chest and wants to focus on the now:
“We are facing the last stages of the season, and it’s normal that when things come to an end, people want to know what’s going to happen in the future,” Riveiro said.
“And that’s probably something that we all would like to know about our lives. What’s going to happen in the future or not?” he added.
Will The Sea Robbers win this season’s Caf Champions League?
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