Pepe always has a solution – Bucs coach
MAKING your Premiership debut is a daunting enough task on its own, but when you are a 20-year-old replacing the experienced Thulani Hlatshwayo at the heart of the Orlando Pirates defence, it is an altogether different challenge.
But Thabiso "Pepe" Sesane took it all in his stride for the Buccaneers at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Sunday.
The Pirates youth graduate delivered a sterling performance alongside Ntsikelelo Nyauza, who replaced club captain Happy Jele, to help Pirates keep a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Maritzburg United.
“I am very happy. Pepe is calm on the ball. He always has a solution,” said Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer.
“They play a high pressure game and it really is not easy to play against this team. They have nothing to lose and they play completely high.
“Pepe always though finds a good solution. But he also needs teammates and they help him and they give him good ball. I am happy about Pepe's performance.”
The victory over the KwaZuluNatal outfit was morale-boosting after the 4-1 mauling suffered against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals last week.
Pirates needed to show great resolve with the fixture coming just three days after the defeat to Sundowns.
It also helped them move up to fourth position on the league standings with 38 points from 22 games.
"You know after a game like Sundowns you need three points, so the focus was on three points and then the performance.
“Maritzburg hadn't played for 14 days and were very well rested. We have players with a tough game in their legs and feel different," Zinnbauer said.
"In the first half they come with the high pressure and we struggle a little bit with turnovers.
“We then got into the game and had two big chances with (Deon) Hotto, but he was unlucky a little bit. It wasn't easy. The goalkeeper made a good stop and Hotto was unlucky.
"In the second half we change the system and we got better in the game and had a lot of chances. (Vincent) Pule came into the game and we scored two times.
“We also had more opportunities to score. The result is good for us."
Pirates now have to turn their attentions away from domestic football to their African adventure this week, when they face Algerian league leaders ES Setif in the penultimate clash in Group A of the Caf Confederation Cup at Orlando Stadium tomorrow.