The Buccaneers are caught between a rock and hard place to salvage their season. Is the clock ticking away to bring back Saleng?
As the clock ticks down on Orlando Pirates’ season, the club’s technical team is facing a mammoth task to revive the club’s misfiring attack that’s struggling to consistently hit the back of the net, and Monnapule Saleng could be the immediate solution. The left-winger has been frozen out of Pirates’ matchday squad following a widely reported contractual dispute. His notable absence from the first team has seen the club’s die-hard supporters ask a lot of questions that have fallen on deaf ears.
In a season that the Soweto giants were trying to make a real push for the PSL league title and other major trophies, Pirates are in no position to be without one of their key players who established himself as one of the household names in South African football.
The 26-year-old star gained prominence after joining the Sea Robbers in 2021 from the now-defunct Free State Stars, and since breaking into the elite with Pirates, Saleng has proven to be one of the most talented players with his explosive pace, dribbling abilities, and high contribution of goals and assists. In his three seasons with Ghosts, the Bafana Bafana international has scored 25 goals and provided 17 assists in 70 appearances across all competitions.
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In the absence of the talented attacker, the Pirates have been struggling to create and score goals, especially in the latter half of the season. The inexperienced Mohau Nkota has been entrusted with the role of delivering goals and assists in their fight to win the league for the first time since 2012. However, the 20-year-old has struggled to make the same impact that was made by his more senior and experienced colleague, Saleng.
Here,Β GOALΒ dissects why Pirates need Saleng back more than ever:
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WHY IS SALENG NOT PLAYING?
The dynamic winger, who is widely regarded as one of the best wide players in the PSL, has sparked controversy after missing a massive chunk of the season.
Rumours of indiscipline, being drunk at training, unhappiness with his financial remuneration, and a whole host of other theories cropped up on social media and in the mainstream media to explain his prolonged absence from the Pirates squad.
Then, last month, reports claimed the ex-Orbit College star was denied a blockbuster move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly and had been affected by the failed move, resulting in an irreconcilable relationship with the team’s hierarchy.
Saleng was given a lifeline to participate in the Bafana Bafana Chan squad recently, however, he was later withdrawn from the national team to deal with his ongoing issues.
With Pirates still in the PSL title race, failure to resolve the Saleng problem will likely allow Sundowns to cruise to the league title and could also derail the Buccaneers’ continental ambitions as they enter a phase of the season with a packed schedule of critical matches coming thick and fast.
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PIRATES STUGGLES IN FRONT OF GOAL
The absence of Monnapule Saleng has left a gaping void in the 1995 Caf Champions League winners’ attack. In recent times, Pirates have been winning their matches by narrow margins and have struggled to put teams away. It has been a long time since that 8-1 hammering against a hapless Gallants.
The team’s usual fluidity and flair in attack has been disjointed, leaving Jose Riveiro searching for answers from Nkota, Bandile Shandu and Deon Hotto, who are nowhere near Saleng’s qualities.
Moreover, Pirates two strikers, Evidence Makgopa and Tshegofatso Mabas, have struggled to hit the back of the net consistently, signaling a lack of quality supply lines.
This season, Mabasa has scored six goals from 16 league matches, while Makgopa has four goals in 15 outings.
Saleng’s ability to eliminate defenders and play pinpoint crosses into the box could benefit the two talisman to score more goals.
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PATRICK MASWANGANYI FEELING THE LOAD
With Saleng sidelined for the bulk of the season, Maswanganyi has shouldered more responsibility for scoring and creating goals. ‘Tito,’ as he’s affectionately know,n has now played 29 matches in all competitions, amassing over 2,400 minutes of footbal,l and has inevitably broken down with an injury.
The former SuperSport United dribbling wizard has scored five goals and chipped in with three assists while trying to build new attacking combinations with players such as Kabelo Dlamini, Relebohile Mofokeng, Tshegofatso Mabasa, and Deon Hotto in the absence of Saleng.
The return of the pacey left-winger would no doubt bring much-needed relief to Maswanganyi and would help him regain the type of form that saw him win Player’s Player of the Season, Midfielder of the Season, and Nedbank Cup Player of the Season accolades in the 2024 PSL Awards.
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GOALS WIN TROPHIES
In football, the age-old cliche remains: goals win you championships. A team’s ability to score consistently is the difference between winning silverware and finishing empty-handed. For the Soweto giants, their attacking struggles are a major concern and, if not addressed, could cost them dearly in their push to win trophies this season.
In the league this season, Riveiro’s troops have scored 28 goals while the runaway log leaders, Masandawana, have scored 48 goals.
The scoring margins in this two-horse race paint a vivid picture of one team that is creating and scoring with ruthless efficiency and another team that is struggling to put teams to bed.
Pirates can’t afford to play the four games in hand they have and face the Brazilians at Loftus on March 15 without all their creative and goal-scoring threats available to their squad.
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WHAT SALENG WILL BRING
The saga between Ezimnyama Ngenkani and Saleng cast doubts on the team’s chances of finishing the season on a high. The North West-born midfielder had a flying start to the 2024/25 season before disappearing from the scene.
In his 13 matches played for Pirates, he scored five goals, made one assist, and notably helped his club to win the MTN8 final against Stellenbosch FC in the first few weeks of the season.
Since he arrived at Soweto, Saleng has played a pivotal role in the team’s three successive MTN8 trophies and two Nedbank Cups.
The return of the fan-favourite could bring a new lease of life in unlocking the team’s true potential to push the Brazilians in a race for the prestigious league title, help secure their sixth domestic cup trophy of Riveiro’s tenure and give the Bucs an edge in continental competition.
