‘A Painful Week Ahead’ – Sibisi Opens Up After Pirates Miss Out On MTN8 Title
Orlando Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi has admitted that losing the MTN8 final to Mamelodi Sundowns was difficult to accept but believes the Buccaneers can build on their performance as they continue their campaign this season.
The Soweto giants missed out on the opportunity to secure a fifth consecutive MTN8 title after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
In a fiercely contested encounter between two of the country’s leading sides, Pirates were unable to overcome Sundowns, who claimed the trophy and ended the Buccaneers’ hopes of extending their dominance in the competition.
The defeat saw Pirates miss out on their first piece of silverware this season, with the club still competing for five trophies across the campaign.
Speaking to Pirates media after the final, captain Sibisi reflected on the disappointment of losing the title, admitting that the result would be difficult for the team to process.
“A difficult one to take, you know,” said Sibisi.
“Very, very difficult. It’s going to be a very painful week for us. But we have to move on; we still have more games coming.”
Despite the disappointment, Pirates will have little time to dwell on the defeat as they prepare for their Betway Premiership clash against TS Galaxy at Orlando Amstel Arena on Tuesday.
The Buccaneers will be eager to bounce back with a positive result as they shift their focus back to the league and continue their pursuit of domestic honours.
Pirates currently sit second in the Betway Premiership standings with 19 points, just one point behind leaders Sundowns, while also having a game in hand.
The narrow gap at the top means the Buccaneers remain firmly in contention for the league title, making their upcoming fixture an important opportunity to respond to their MTN8 disappointment.
Sibisi believes that, despite the result, Pirates can take positives from their performance in the final. The defender praised his teammates for their commitment and effort, insisting that the team gave everything on the pitch even though they ultimately fell short.
“I think we can still build from the performance; the boys left everything on the field, but it was just not meant to be,” Sibisi added.
With several competitions still ahead, Pirates will now look to put the final behind them, regroup and channel their disappointment into their remaining fixtures as they aim to challenge for more silverware this season.
