Pirates aim for revenge in Soweto derby
Xoki likely to start if Maela fails fitness test
Following his outstanding performance in the MTN8 final last week, Orlando Pirates defender Tapelo Xoki is eager to build on that when they face Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Black Label Cup second semifinal at FNB Stadium tomorrow at 12pm.
Although he is not selected to play by the supporters, Xoki could start if captain Innocent Maela fails a fitness test before the game.
Maela, who is selected to play alongside Olisa Ndah, Thabiso Monyane and Paseka Mako, revealed this week that he is not sure if he will be fit to play after missing the MTN8 final.
This will mean Xoki, who did not receive enough votes to be in Pirates’ starting line-up, will be starting against Amakhosi to partner Ndah in the heart of the defence, with Mako and Monyane operating on the flanks.
Nkosinathi Sibisi, who was part of the team, has been ruled out due to the injury he suffered in the final against AmaZulu.
“It’s a huge game and we are looking forward to it and we will try to avenge the loss that we had two weeks ago,” Xoki
told the media.*
“We look at the game and see where we went wrong in that match and try to fix where we didn’t do well and we will try to play our normal game and do what we normally do.
“It’s one of those matches where we will fix where we went wrong because we know where we didn’t do well, so we just have to correct that.”
Xoki added that winning the MTN8 last week will have no impact on the Carling as they have already forgotten about it.
“We had our chance to celebrate at the weekend and we did, so the focus now goes to this coming weekend, we can’t be thinking about the last weekend,” he said.