Makhanya pins Pirates' title hopes on third-time lucky

Giving up is not in Orlando Pirates' vocabulary.

The Buccaneers are hoping for third-time lucky in the DStv Diski Challenge this season. 

For the past two seasons, Pirates came close to winning the league title and they are not going to give up until achieving that feat. 

Last season they were in contention until the crucial stages of the campaign, but they fumbled.

In the 2021-22 season, Pirates found themselves having to settle for third spot after Stellenbosch FC pounced and clinched the title. Again, last season, Pirates were the favourites but fumbled when it mattered most, ending the season sitting in position two behind winners SuperSport United. 

The Buccaneers started the new season with a tricky draw against Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs this past weekend. The new-look squad were the first to find the back of the net, but Amakhosi were able to fight back and get a point out of the match. 

Pirates coach Joseph Makhanya believes that the Buccaneers will be able to compete for the title once again this season despite losing star players such as Relebohile Mofokeng, Sonwabo Khumalo, Kgomolemo Khoto and Ndumiso Ngiba, who were promoted to the first team and loaned out to other teams. 

Stated the Pirates legend: “We have a lot of new faces, but I am hoping that my experience will filter in the boys so they become as competitive as possible.

“We are hoping for a third time lucky, but it is one game at a time. The season has just started one game. Other teams have reinforced with big boys. It is a good thing that we lost players to the higher leagues. I have 11 boys who went into higher leagues."

Pirates' line-up that played against Chiefs had more than seven new players and Makhanya said there are still more new gems to be unleashed.

“We have exciting youngsters that we will give a chance in due course. We did not want to throw them in the deep end all of them at the same time,” he concluded. 

Pirates will be back in action this coming weekend as they travel to KwaZulu-Natal to face Richards Bay FC at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium. (12pm, CAT).