Mandla Ncikazi urges Orlando Pirates focus ahead of Betway Premiership title decider

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has admitted that they know what is at stake in the Betway Premiership season finale against Orbit College, which is why they will leave no stone unturned.

Pirates will face Orbit at a sold-out Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off) needing a win to finish the season on 69 points and clinch the league title for the first time in 14 years.

Pirates will need to dig deep for the result. Orbit will not be easy opponents, as a point could prove invaluable in either helping them retain their status through the relegation/promotion play-offs or securing survival outright if both Marumo Gallants and Magesi lose elsewhere.

Given all that, Ncikazi says they need to be at their best on the day while sticking to the formula that has worked for them throughout the season.

“We cannot ignore the emotional state of the game – what is at stake,” Ncikazi said on Pirates’ social media platforms. “But it’s still important for us to get our facts right, and our message to the players is that we have a game to play.

“There will be 11 players on the field against a team that is fighting for their lives. We also need the points desperately. We want to play the match the Pirates way, score goals and create chances. If we do what we have prepared for, I am confident that we’ll get the result.”

Mbombela has already been a happy hunting ground for Pirates this season, with the team winning the MTN8 title at the venue late last year. That is why they will want to finish the campaign the same way they started it – with silverware in the City of the Rising Sun.