Pirates coach will not take Stellenbosch lightly

Rulani Mokwena (right) has admitted there is still a lot of work to be done at Orlando Pirates, despite seeing the team qualify for the quarterfinals of the Telkom Knockout.

Bucs were made to sweat in order to go through to the second round of the TKO, with winger Thembinkosi Lorch scoring late in the second half and sending Premier Soccer League news boys Stellenbosch FC packing with a 1-0 win at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Mokwena says he did his homework and said it would not be easy playing the National First Division champions in the league, who still have most of the players who helped the club win the NFD last season.

“We still have a lot of work to do and it was a very difficult match against the champions of the National First Division, they are the champions and they put out a team who were more or less the core in them winning the championship last season,” said the Bucs coach.

“I was a little bit surprised when I saw their team sheet and Sibusiso Mthethwa, who normally plays as a leftback, but was not there. But they had an equally capable back four with Nyiko Mobbie who is a regular for them at rightback and they fielded Zwelethu Ndlovu, who played very well at leftback and gave us problems.”

The Buccaneers travel to

Cape Town this weekend to face Stellies again, but this time around in a league encounter. Going into this game, the Bucs coach has learned a lot about the Cape side, going on to praise their playing style.

“They tried to build from the back which was something that was good to see, because normally when you watch them play, people tend to say they only play route one football, but today (Saturday) they played from the back,” he added.

“We knew they are strong on transition, they have Iqraam Rayners who has contributed to five goals for them ... with three goals and two assists. He is their major man and the captain of the team and he is always a problem.”