Pirates’ casualties paves way for rising goalie

Injuries to Richard Ofori and Wayne Sandilands have given an opportunity to young keeper Kopano Thuntsane to be a second choice keeper to Siyabonga Mpontshane in the senior team, and co-coach Fadlu Davids believes that Thuntsane will be able to do his duties when called upon with the Buccaneers facing Sekhukhune FC in a DStv Premiership clash on Tuesday.

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Siyabonga Mpontshane remains the only senior keeper who is fit at the club, something that also happened last season when Sandilands found himself as the lone available experienced goalkeeper in the squad towards the end of the season.

Thuntsane has been on the bench for Bucs since their 1-0 victory against Congolese team Diable Noirs in the second leg tie of the Caf Champions League.

The 21-year old shot-stopper is not the only player from the Pirates’ reserves training with the first team and Davids believes the young players will come in handy for the club.

“We have a set of youngsters that are playing in the DDC (DStv Diski Challenge) because they are still young, there is Simiso Bophela, there is Boitumelo Radiopane, Thabiso Monyane and Ayanda Sithole, the other goalkeeper. So they are alternating in that regard. And of course the injury with Richard Ofori and the injury with Wayne Sandilands at the moment (has given Thuntsane the opportunity to be on the bench,” said the Bucs mentor.

“But we are not afraid, his performance has been very good and the goalkeeper coach has been working excellently with the younger ones (keepers). There are more goalkeepers and players coming from the DDC team to train with the first team. So, yeah, it is a step and we are not afraid when the opportunity comes for Kopano to take.”            

Bucs go into this clash with Sekhukhune after the Soweto giants played to a 1-1 draw with Royal AM in their last league game. The club from Soweto will be looking for a much improved performance and maximum points when they host Babina Noko so that they could climb high on the standings. Pirates are seventh on the log with 11 points, while the Limpopo based side are fifth on the log with 14 points.