CAFCL: Orlando Pirates run shows PSL rising in leaps and bounds - Mngqithi

Photo Credit - Orlando Pirates Football Club.

Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi has praised Orlando Pirates for their run in the CAF Champions League despite their journey ending in the semi-final stage this season.

Pirates failed to reach the final of the inter-club competition following a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Pyramids of Egypt. The South Africans had secured a 0-0 draw in the first leg semi-final clash but went on to lose the return leg 3-2 in Cairo.

The defeat saw them miss out on all-South African final against Mamelodi Sundowns, who reached the stage after eliminating defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt in the other semis.

“I wouldn’t even want to go to the last stage of a South African final,” said Mngqithi as quoted by idiskitimes. “Personally, I think we should just be proud of how much impact and improvement South African football has had in the past few years.

“Seeing Pirates back in the Champions League and go as far as they went, for me was very positive. Sometimes we forget the previous season they could not even come out of the group or make the quarterfinals.

“When you see them going as far as they did, you should be very proud and see that the PSL has improved in leaps and bounds. And maybe also take some time to appreciate the work that the national team has done because I think with the national team doing well, these players are forced to give an A-game in their games to try and make sure that they fight to stay in the national team. Those things normally work hand in hand.”

Speaking on Stellenbosch, whose journey in the Confederation Cup ended at the semis stage after losing to Simba SC of Tanzania, Mngqithi said: “Personally, I’m just a proud South African and the impact South Africa is making – look at Stellenbosch, who would’ve thought that Stellenbosch would be in the semi-final of the Confederations Cup, and they are there, they are strong. For me that’s the positive we should take as a country.”

Pirates will now shift their focus to defending their Nedbank Cup title, where they are slated to face Kaizer Chiefs in a Soweto derby final on May 10.