Mbokazi: We Could Not be Bullied By Sundowns
Orlando Pirates’ young defender Mbekezi Mbokazi emphasized their determination to assert dominance at home against Mamelodi Sundowns in their Betway Premiership clash at FNB Stadium.
Pirates delivered a resolute performance, securing a 2-1 victory over Sundowns on Sunday afternoon.
This win significantly narrows the gap between the Soweto Giants, who have four games in hand, and their Tshwane rivals on the points table. It also ended a five-season league drought, marking Pirates’ first Premiership victory over Sundowns in that period.
With this result, Pirates have accumulated 43 points from 19 matches, trailing Miguel Cardoso’s side by 15 points.
“We played well. Throughout the week’s training, we were confident of victory because we were playing at home, and we wouldn’t accept defeat,” Mbokazi, named Man of the Match, stated via Pirates’ media department. “Playing at home, we had to show that we wouldn’t be dictated to. The coach instructed us to adhere to his man-to-man marking strategy, sticking closely to our assigned opponents.
“This strategy proved effective in the first half, as we scored two early goals, giving us a comfortable cushion. In the second half, we defended resolutely until the final whistle. 45 minutes pass quickly when you defend effectively. We had already discussed that if we scored two goals, our focus would shift to solidifying our defense.”
Pirates’ quickfire goals from Relebohile Mofokeng, who had been in a recent slump, caught Sundowns off guard in the fourth and fifth minutes.
Sundowns made the second half tense when Khuliso Mudau pulled a goal back, but it proved too little, too late.
“When they scored, we told ourselves, ‘That’s it; they won’t score again. It was a mistake, and we won’t repeat it. We must fight, we must give everything,'” added Mbokazi, who has stepped into the team due to Thabiso Sesane’s injury. “If someone is tired, someone else must step up.”
“That helped us maintain our resilience, and that resilience was crucial to our victory.”
