Premier Soccer League champions Orlando Pirates must be wondering what they must do to get beyond the first round of cup competitions.Â
This season Buccaneers failed to advance in the Super Eight, when they were ousted by Jomo Cosmos, and on Sunday they take on Manning Rangers at Chatsworth in the Coca-Cola Cup, a competition in which they have failed to make the second round since it was reintroduced in 2001.Â
The teams played to a 1-1 draw when they met earlier in the season.
The once mighty Buccaneers are a fading team, having won just once this season and found the net five times in six games. Only a miracle will resurrect the ghost.
Recent signing James Mothibi has scored two goals — both from the penalty spot — but, while Pirates can boast of great midfielders such as Patrick Thwala, Joseph Makhanya and Benedict Vilakazi, as long as they cannot score then they will be in for a rude awakening at Chatsworth.
Rangers will be hoping that Alton Meiring continues his scoring spree while Welcome Mazibuko provides him with the necessary through balls.
The game is likely to feature a keenly contested battle in the middle of the park.
However the Mighty Maulers also have a poor record in cup competitions — their only claim to fame was winning the inaugural league title — though young and much-travelled coach Steve Khompela will hope to change this on Sunday. The Rangers coach says he has told his players for this particular game that: ‘If you want to be the best then you must beat the best.â€Â
In other weekend Coca-Cola Cup fixtures, Durban fans can brace themselves for a derby when Golden Arrows take on Zulu Royals at the Kings Park stadium on Saturday, while up north Wits University play Black Leopards in Thohoyandou.