Orlando Pirates' already hectic schedule of tough matches in the coming weeks has been intensified by a Soweto derby cup semifinal being added in under a fortnight's time.
Tonight, Pirates meet dangerous, unpredictable Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Absa Premiership at Orlando Stadium (7.30).
On Saturday, Bucs have what is traditionally their toughest fixture of the season, the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs, at FNB Stadium. They follow that up with an away game against Ajax Cape Town's hungry youngsters at Cape Town Stadium next Wednesday.
And if that programme was not tough enough, Pirates' Telkom Knockout semifinal the Saturday after that (November 7) was drawn as a second derby in the space of a week against Chiefs.
All of this in the context of coach Eric Tinkler trying to turn around the Buccaneers' unconvincing home form, and prepare his team mentally for the CAF Confederation Cup final against Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel over two legs next month.
It is a small wonder that Tinkler broke a pen watching Bucs ease to a 2-0 Telkom quarterfinal win against Maritzburg United at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
"I think I've always been very animated person, on Saturday perhaps a little bit more so," Tinkler admitted. "I knew, the players knew, we all knew how important the result was for us going forward.
"We have a hectic schedule. The game against Arrows, the derby, another game against Ajax, then the Telkom semis. Then immediately after that we've got the Confed final. So you want to go into those games with momentum, morale high, and the football we're playing of a high standard."
Tonight, Tinkler's team face their second tricky KwaZulu- Natal opposition at Orlando in the space of four days.
Serame Letsoaka's Arrows have impressed on their return to the PSL to be in eighth place, with just two defeats. Their surprise results have included a 2-1 home win against Mamelodi Sundowns, and last week's 2-1 away win against SuperSport United.
In an indication of how inconsistent they can be, Arrows then lost 3-1 to SuperSport in the Telkom quarters in Polokwane on Saturday. "Mentally our players played the second game against SuperSport thinking it will be a walk in the park," Letsoaka lamented.
Kermit Erasmus scored just his second domestic goal of the season with a left-footed cracker against Maritzburg, suggesting the mercurial forward is beginning to find the form at home that netted him five goals in the Confed Cup.
Pirates' schedule a nightmare
Orlando Pirates' already hectic schedule of tough matches in the coming weeks has been intensified by a Soweto derby cup semifinal being added in under a fortnight's time.
Tonight, Pirates meet dangerous, unpredictable Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Absa Premiership at Orlando Stadium (7.30).
On Saturday, Bucs have what is traditionally their toughest fixture of the season, the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs, at FNB Stadium. They follow that up with an away game against Ajax Cape Town's hungry youngsters at Cape Town Stadium next Wednesday.
And if that programme was not tough enough, Pirates' Telkom Knockout semifinal the Saturday after that (November 7) was drawn as a second derby in the space of a week against Chiefs.
All of this in the context of coach Eric Tinkler trying to turn around the Buccaneers' unconvincing home form, and prepare his team mentally for the CAF Confederation Cup final against Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel over two legs next month.
It is a small wonder that Tinkler broke a pen watching Bucs ease to a 2-0 Telkom quarterfinal win against Maritzburg United at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
"I think I've always been very animated person, on Saturday perhaps a little bit more so," Tinkler admitted. "I knew, the players knew, we all knew how important the result was for us going forward.
"We have a hectic schedule. The game against Arrows, the derby, another game against Ajax, then the Telkom semis. Then immediately after that we've got the Confed final. So you want to go into those games with momentum, morale high, and the football we're playing of a high standard."
Tonight, Tinkler's team face their second tricky KwaZulu- Natal opposition at Orlando in the space of four days.
Serame Letsoaka's Arrows have impressed on their return to the PSL to be in eighth place, with just two defeats. Their surprise results have included a 2-1 home win against Mamelodi Sundowns, and last week's 2-1 away win against SuperSport United.
In an indication of how inconsistent they can be, Arrows then lost 3-1 to SuperSport in the Telkom quarters in Polokwane on Saturday. "Mentally our players played the second game against SuperSport thinking it will be a walk in the park," Letsoaka lamented.
Kermit Erasmus scored just his second domestic goal of the season with a left-footed cracker against Maritzburg, suggesting the mercurial forward is beginning to find the form at home that netted him five goals in the Confed Cup.
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