Orlando Pirates‘ youngsters Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota have been making headlines for all the good reasons.
The duo have played a combined 25 matches across all competitions and directly contributed to 11 goals. The most recent combination was in the Caf Champions League fixture against CR Belouizdad away.
Mofokeng provided the two assists from which the 19-year-old Nkota converted to give the Soweto giants a 2-1 win.
The Buccaneers legend Joseph Makhanya, who coached the duo in the club's reserve team, is delighted with what the youngsters have achieved. However, he has advised them on what to do and ensure they stay on top of the game.
‘They have shown they can do the job'
“I’m impressed with how he has settled,” Makhanya said regarding Nkota who made his debut this season.
“Football is all about consistency and I hope he stays true to it and works even harder because the more you are getting results it means you need to work harder to remain consistent. I hope he becomes consistent in his approach because the level is up a bit, meaning now, every week teams will be planning against him and he needs to sharpen his skills and become a player that we foresee.
“They have shown us that they can do the job, they went to big matches, Rele scored a winner against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup final [last season] and went on to score against Stellenbosch [MTN8 final].”
Teams learning from Bucs?
Several Premier Soccer League teams have been playing youngsters this season, a trend that Makhanya is lauding since more players are getting a chance to showcase their talent.
“What pleases me the most is that there is a belief, especially in youth, where you see other teams are giving them an opportunity to show their talent, and that's what we've always hoped for. Even big teams are now starting to give them a chance.
“I watched Pirates when they were playing in the Champions League. It was nice to see Nkota and Mofokeng combine to score goals, especially at that level. As coaches from DDC, we are very proud of what is happening.,” Makhanya concluded.
Nkota and Mofokeng are expected to play a massive role as Orlando Pirates tackle Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League assignment on Saturday at the Orlando Stadium.
