Pirates told to walk tall ahead of Lupopo tie: ‘Football is a very crazy game’

Orlando Pirates have been tipped to turn the tables and eliminate St Eloi Lupopo from the CAF Champions League.

The Soweto giants suffered a 3-0 loss in the first leg of the second preliminary round played last weekend.

They need to get a better result at the Orlando Stadium to advance to the group stage, and probably the latter hurdles having reached the semi-final last season.

While the majority of fans and stakeholders have written them off, former defender Innocent Chikoya has a different opinion.

Bucs will use Pirates Stadium to their advantage 

“Football is a very crazy game. They [Lupopo] managed to score three goals in their backyard. We can score three or four at home,” he told The Sowetan.

They will have supporters on their backs. You know Orlando is always packed and we will use that to our advantage. We’ve to score three goals. We tend to say they will come and defend, but you cannot do that the whole game. I think they will come to look for a goal to close the game.

“But if you are coming to defend and Pirates get one, the complexion of the game changes. There will be panic; the supporters will be pushing hard,” Chikoya added.

Ouaddou defended

After the 3-0 loss, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was criticised heavily for dropping Lebone Seema who, alongside Mbekezeli Mbokazi, had kept back-to-back clean sheets. He opted for the Nkosinathi Sibisi-Mbokazi partnership.

Chikoya has defended the former Morocco international, “We cannot say the coach made an error. All the players are contracted to the club. He believes in the players he has, so he will use them. We can’t blame the coach since we conceded three goals.”

Before the game against Lupopo, Pirates play Polokwane City on wednesday in the Premier Soccer League outing.