Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Teko Modise shared his insights on the thrilling Nedbank Cup match, where SuperSport United lost to Orlando Pirates at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday. 

After SuperSport lost 4-2 on penalties to the defending champions in the quarter finals, the General believes that SuperSport could have won the match but missed a lot of chances in the first half. 

“It’s one of those games where SuperSport will look at themselves as to what the opportunities that they’ve created that they never actually used, especially in the first half,” said Modise, who played for both clubs and won this competition with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2015. 

“I strongly believe with all the chances that they had, especially in the first half, they could have sealed the game.” 

He praised Pirates, who have won this cup twice in the last two seasons, as Cup Kings but mentioned their defensive struggles due to Sesane’s absence. 

“Ever since Sesane got injured, they’ve been struggling to find the right partnership that works at the back,” he said. 

“To see a youngster being slotted (Mbekezeli Mbokazi) like that and to also be able to get that important goal in such a big game, it was very interesting to see that. 

“But I strongly believe that SuperSport had the opportunity, but then again the Orlando Pirates, it’s part of their DNA now, they’re Cup Kings, they know how to win Cup competition and Cup games.” 

“Coach Jose Riverio doesn’t have a choice because sometimes we see youngsters being thrown into the deep end, not because the coaches have the choice. Sometimes youngsters are forced to be ready because they don’t have anything.

“We’ve seen with Orlando Pirates, they’ve been struggling as well from the right back position, they are getting injured. We’ve seen Thabiso Lebitso is still injured, I think. I think it was only Deano Van Rooyen who was possibly available to play a lot of games. 

“But they’ve been struggling, that’s why you find Siyabonga Ndlozi being able to get that type of position and being able to play. But I don’t think they have enough in terms of them being able to make that type of rotation.” 

Modise noted that Mamelodi Sundowns are struggling to win certain trophies because of their tight fixture in a calendar year. “The reason for struggling to win this trophy is because you look at the calendar year. You have so much football, you have so much fixture happening within the calendar year.

“So it becomes a very challenging thing.”

Sundowns’ clash against Sekhukhune United in the quarter final at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday was postponed after the venue was double booked.