Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is keeping his cards close to his chest on whether star players Thembinkosi Lorch and Patrick Maswanganyi will be available for selection when his side locks horns with Jwaneng Galaxy on Friday.
Pirates will host Jwaneng of Botswana in a CAF Champions League second preliminary round at the Orlando Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
Bucs are on the verge of crashing out of the continental competition, as they go into the encounter trailing by one goal.
This after they were stunned 1-0 by the Morena Ramoreboli-led side at the Botswana National Stadium over a week ago.
Lorch is yet to feature for Bucs this season due to an injury, while new signing and playmaker Maswanganyi was spotted limping down the tunnel after their 1-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC at the weekend.
“I don’t like commenting on individual players, so I won’t confirm whether or not they [Lorch, Maswanganyi and Makhehlene Makhaula] are available for selection,” Riveiro told the media at the Rand Stadium on Thursday.
“But on the game tomorrow [Friday], the expectation is to have a memorable night together with the Pirates family.
“We have an important match ahead of us, one of the most important, if not the most important game this season.
“So, we are prepared to give our best, because one of our objectives is to make it to the CAF group stages.”
The trio [Lorch, Maswanganyi and Makhaula] was spotted in full training, as the Sea Robbers prepare for their crucial encounter.
The players will be expected to perform at their best, and captain Innocent Maela believes getting an early goal will be a bonus for Bucs.
“We don’t go into matches with the idea that we need to score in the first 10-15 minutes, we just need to make sure we go there and execute the plan, believing and trusting that the goal will come,” Maela said.
For the Sea Robbers to advance to the group stages of the competition, they need to score two or more goals and ensure that the visitors do not find the back of the net.
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