Latest news with #Rele
The South African
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
'I see Chiefs getting a hiding in the final': Pirates treble winner
Former Orlando Pirates defender Lizo Mjempu has predicted that his former team will beat Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup final. The two Soweto giants face each other this Saturday afternoon at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The Buccaneers claimed a 2-1 victory over their rivals this past weekend in a league match. The Nedbank Cup brings a different challenge with Amakhosi looking to end their 10-year trophy drought. Mjembu believes Pirates will beat Chiefs on Saturday in the final to retain the Nedbank Cup. 'I am 100% in agreement with those people who believe that Pirates will beat Chiefs again and win the Nedbank Cup for the third season in a row,' Mjempu told Soccer Laduma this week. 'I don't foresee any upset. Chiefs players lack confidence in my opinion, and that's the big difference between the two teams. Pirates, on the other side, are oozing with confidence because of how well they've been performing,' he said. Mjembu has praised Orlando Pirates duo of Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota. The two youngsters have been instrumental for the Buccaneers this season, especially in the CAF Champions League, where the club reached the semi-finals. 'Rele and Nkota are completely different. They're team players. Even when Pirates were down in the CAF Champions League, you could see them trying to lift the team. Rele reads the game well, makes smart decisions, and only dribbles with purpose. You'll never see him doing tricks standing in one place. Nkota plays the same way. That's why I see Chiefs getting a hiding in the final,' said the former Pirates left-back. Mjembu played for the Buccaneers in the 2011/12 season, winning a treble. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Youth Coach: ‘Relebohile Mofokeng scored 39 goals in 34 matches'
Orlando Pirates attacker Relebohile Mofokeng is not showing us his maximum ability. Since his senior debut in May 2023, the 20-year-old Sharpville-born attacker has delivered just 16 goals in 81 matches for Orlando Pirates. According to his former youth coach at the School of Excellence, Masimanyane Xali, Mofokeng has far better ability in front of goal. 'The one thing I feel is still missing from Rele is goals,' Xali told iDiski Times . 'He is not scoring enough for Pirates. When he was at the School [of Excellence], the boy scored many goals. In his matric year, he scored 39 goals in about 34 matches. I'd like to see him scoring more at Pirates. The coach also reminisced about the early days he saw the Bafana Bafana international and how he and other coaches could see his potential. 'I first met him when he was 12 and still doing Grade 7,' added Xali. 'He would come to the School for training on Fridays and played matches on weekends and then go back home yet even in that short period, it was clear the boy was a bit special. As a player he had great technical ability and football intelligence. I remember one time, the late James Mabena telling me that 'this boy is going to drive the country crazy'. 'Rele was still very young then, but Coach James could see his potential. And he's doing exactly that right now.' Meanwhile, Mofokeng and the Sea Robbers face Pyramids FC in the CAF Champions League second-leg semifinals on Friday. Kick off will be at 20:00 from the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt. The first-leg tie ended 0-0 at the FNB Stadium last Saturday. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
