Bucs will be on the ball for PSL, CAF

Monyane confident Pirates can compete on all fronts

Sihle Ndebele Sports journalist
Thabiso Monyane of Orlando Pirates is confident his team will be able to compete for both the league and the CAF Champions League.
Thabiso Monyane of Orlando Pirates is confident his team will be able to compete for both the league and the CAF Champions League.
Image: Lefty Shivambu

Orlando Pirates fullback Thabiso Monyane believes they have what it takes to juggle the league and the CAF Champions League, although he insists they take each game as it comes.

Pirates, who had won their seven league fixtures for the first time in the PSL era before they lost 1-0 to Stellenbosch at home in their eighth Betway Premiership fixture nearly a fortnight ago, face Ivorian side Stade d'Abidjan in Abidjan in their third Champions League Group C fixture on Saturday (6pm).

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Monyane was a striker growing up and even played as a striker for the SA Uunder-20 national team at the U-20 Afcon and U-20 World Cup in 2019 in Mali and Polandrespectively.

When Pirates promoted him to the first team before the start of 2019/20 season, then coach Milutin "Micho" Sredojevic and his assistant Rulani Mokwena converted him to right-back.

"We've had a good start in the Champions League, and we're determined to maintain our good run in this competition. I believe we can manage to do well both in the league and in this competition [the Champions League] because we have a very strong squad,'' the 24-year-old Monyane said.

"We are eager to compete in each and every competition we are in but we take it one game at a time because we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. There's still a long way to go both in the Champions League and in the league.''

Pirates have garnered four points from their two opening Group C fixtures after beating Algerian side CR Belouizdad 2-1 away in their opener three weeks ago, before holding defending champions Al Ahly, who've won Champions League a record 12 times, to a goalless draw at home last Saturday.

Pirates and Ahly are level on points but the latter top the group by virtue of a better goal difference, thanks to their 4-2 win over D'Abidjan in their opener.

Meanwhile, D'Abidjan have lost their last three fixtures in all competitions and are fifth on the table in the Ivorian league. They qualified for the Champions League through finishing as runners-up to San Pedro in the Ivorian League1 last season.

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