Angolan midfielder Gilberto, a recent addition to Orlando Pirates from Petro de Luanda, is poised to make his debut for the Soweto giants.

The 23-year-old has been eagerly awaiting the issuance of his work permit to play for the team.

Having impressed during the pre-season camp in Spain, Gilberto is expected to be a valuable asset for Pirates. He missed the MTN8 quarterfinal victory over SuperSport United and the CAF Champions League preliminary matches, proceeding on the aggregate, against CS-Disciples of Madagascar due to the work permit delay.

Despite being assigned the number 11 jersey for the Champions League, Gilberto was unable to feature. However, coach Jose Riveiro is considering giving him playing time in the upcoming MTN8 semifinal first leg against Cape Town City at DHL Stadium on Wednesday.

New signing Deano Van Rooyen will not be eligible for selection as he is cup-tied due to his previous involvement with Stellenbosch FC in the MTN8 competition against TS Galaxy.

The MTN8 match at DHL Stadium was rescheduled from Tuesday to Wednesday (18:00) due to unfavorable weather conditions in Cape Town that left houses floored.