Mbokazi: We Stood Strong Against Sundowns’ Intimidation
Mbekezi Mbokazi, the promising defender for Orlando Pirates, emphasized their determination to assert home dominance against Mamelodi Sundowns during their Betway Premiership clash at FNB Stadium.
Pirates delivered an impressive performance, securing a 2-1 victory over Sundowns on Sunday afternoon.
This win significantly closes the gap between the Soweto Giants, who have four matches remaining, and their Tshwane rivals. It also ends a five-season league winless streak against Sundowns, marking Pirates’ first Premiership victory over them in this span.
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Post-match, Pirates have gathered 43 points from 19 games, trailing Miguel Cardoso’s side by 15 points.
“We played exceptionally well. During the week’s training, we felt confident about our victory since we were at home, and we refused to accept defeat,” said Mbokazi, who was named Man of the Match, as per Pirates’ media team. “On our home ground, we needed to show that we wouldn’t be dictated by others. The coach directed us to implement his man-to-man marking strategy, ensuring we stayed close to our assigned opponents.
“This tactic proved effective in the first half, enabling us to net two early goals and establish a comfortable lead. In the second half, we focused on solid defense until the final whistle. Effective defending makes the 45 minutes fly by. We had planned that once we scored two goals, our attention would shift to reinforcing our defense.”
Pirates’ quick strikes from Relebohile Mofokeng, who has faced challenges lately, caught Sundowns off guard just minutes into the match.
Sundowns applied pressure in the latter half when Khuliso Mudau found the back of the net, but it ultimately proved to be too little, too late.
“When they scored, we reminded ourselves, ‘That’s it; they won’t find the net again. It was a mistake we won’t repeat. We must fight and give everything,’” remarked Mbokazi, who stepped up due to Thabiso Sesane’s injury. “If one player is fatigued, another must rise to the challenge.”
“This mindset allowed us to stay resilient, and that resilience was crucial to our victory.”