Rollercoaster Week for Bucs Stars on International Duty

The November FIFA break concluded on Tuesday night with the Orlando Pirates players involved encountered mixed results throughout the week spent away on international duty.

A total of six Buccaneers received call-ups ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, which kicked off last Wednesday.

The players were representing Ghana, Namibia, and South Africa, and each nation experienced similar fortunes in the all-too-crucial fixtures that concluded on Tuesday night.

Goalkeeper Richard Ofori led the Black Stars out in each of their qualifiers, keeping a clean sheet at home to Madagascar where his side secured a 1-0 victory. The West Africans however came unstuck on their travels, as they lost 1-0 to Comoros in their fixture played on Tuesday.

They now sit fourth in Group I, tied on three points with Madagascar who boast a superior goal difference.

It was a similar story for South Africa, who were victorious at home before suffering defeat on the road to take up second place in Group C.

The Bucs quartet of Tapelo Xoki, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Zakhele Lepasa, and Evidence Makgopa were part of the squad called up by Bafana coach Hugo Broos for games against Benin and Rwanda.

Makgopa made the starting XI in the 2-1 home victory against Benin in Durban and was replaced by Bucs teammate Zakhele Lepasa in the 52nd minute, while Sibisi entered the fray 71 minutes in as a replacement for Mothobi Mvala.

Both substitutes featured in the 2-0 defeat to Rwanda on Tuesday with Sibisi playing the full 90 minutes, while Lepasa was introduced with 38 minutes left on the clock.

For Namibia, the experienced Deon Hotto remained a mainstay in coach Collin Benjamin’s team as he played all 180 minutes across the two fixtures against Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome e Principe, with both games taking place away from home.

The Brave Warriors were defeated in Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday, going down 1-0 in Malabo, but were able to get off the mark in Group H with a 2-0 in Sao Tome, which brought them up to third place in the standings.

All six players are expected to rejoin the Bucs camp on Wednesday to take part in preparation for Saturday’s DStv Premiership clash against Richards Bay in Durban.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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