Orlando Pirates' Tapelo Xoki has dismissed the notion they've had favourable draws in the Nedbank Cup in recent times, using Kaizer Chiefs' upset by Milford as an example to emphasise their fixtures against minnows could've easily gone either way as well.
Pirates, who won last season's Nedbank Cup without facing a Premiership side until in the semifinals, thumped third-tier outfit Crystal Lake 6-0 in the first round of this year's edition at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, booking a last 16 home date with second-tier's Hungry Lions.
"The results of the tournament have shown that there's no such thing as luck when Premiership teams play against teams from lower divisions. Yesterday [on Sunday] we saw a result where a lower division side eliminated a big team [referring to Chiefs' elimination by second-tier's Milford],'' Xoki said after the last 16 draw at SuperSport Studios in Randburg on Monday.
"You can't say we are lucky because these teams from lower divisions are competitive and that has been proven. You have to give them the respect they deserve. They are in this tournament to win it as anyone else. As Pirates, we treat each and every game the same. There's no lucky draw... we only wanted a home draw and luckily we got it."
Last season, Pirates beat Motsepe Foundation Championship side All Stars in the first round, before outwitting another second-tier team, Venda FC, in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, they played against Dondol Stars from third-tier, before winning against their Soweto foes Chiefs and Sekhukhune United in the semifinals and in the final respectively.
Xoki, who's already scored two goals from the spot this year, also opened up about being the Buccaneers' first-choice penalty-taker ahead of offensive players. "I was not given this responsibility [of being Pirates' first-choice penalty taker] because I am someone who's special but I take penalties because of the way the team had prepared going into games,'' Xoki noted.
Meanwhile, by yesterday the league hadn't confirmed dates and venues for the round of 16 fixtures.
Xoki plays down Bucs' 'favourable' Cup draws
‘There ’s no such thing as luck’
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Orlando Pirates' Tapelo Xoki has dismissed the notion they've had favourable draws in the Nedbank Cup in recent times, using Kaizer Chiefs' upset by Milford as an example to emphasise their fixtures against minnows could've easily gone either way as well.
Pirates, who won last season's Nedbank Cup without facing a Premiership side until in the semifinals, thumped third-tier outfit Crystal Lake 6-0 in the first round of this year's edition at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, booking a last 16 home date with second-tier's Hungry Lions.
"The results of the tournament have shown that there's no such thing as luck when Premiership teams play against teams from lower divisions. Yesterday [on Sunday] we saw a result where a lower division side eliminated a big team [referring to Chiefs' elimination by second-tier's Milford],'' Xoki said after the last 16 draw at SuperSport Studios in Randburg on Monday.
"You can't say we are lucky because these teams from lower divisions are competitive and that has been proven. You have to give them the respect they deserve. They are in this tournament to win it as anyone else. As Pirates, we treat each and every game the same. There's no lucky draw... we only wanted a home draw and luckily we got it."
Last season, Pirates beat Motsepe Foundation Championship side All Stars in the first round, before outwitting another second-tier team, Venda FC, in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, they played against Dondol Stars from third-tier, before winning against their Soweto foes Chiefs and Sekhukhune United in the semifinals and in the final respectively.
Xoki, who's already scored two goals from the spot this year, also opened up about being the Buccaneers' first-choice penalty-taker ahead of offensive players. "I was not given this responsibility [of being Pirates' first-choice penalty taker] because I am someone who's special but I take penalties because of the way the team had prepared going into games,'' Xoki noted.
Meanwhile, by yesterday the league hadn't confirmed dates and venues for the round of 16 fixtures.
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