Orlando Pirates will be out to make amends for their early exit in the Carling Knockout when they face SuperSport United in the league on Tuesday, Siya sources have indicated.
Following their disappointing early exit in the cup on Saturday after losing 3-2 to PSL newbies Magesi FC, the Buccaneers will be back in Orlando this evening for their match in the Betway Premiership against Matsatsantsa who come from a 4-0 loss against Kaizer Chiefs on the weekend.
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With the team's hectic schedule in mind going into the Magesi match, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro opted to make some changes in the line-up as the likes of Patrick Maswanganyi and Makhehleni Makhaula, who are usually regular starters, were rested.
Maswanganyi came off the bench in the second half, while Makhaula was in the stands with a host of other stars, including Miguel Timm and Boitumelo Radiopane, among others.
In the absence of the injured Olisa Ndah, there were also changes in defence as Nkosinathi Sibisi played in the Nigerian centre-back's place alongside Thabiso Sesane, as was also the case in the MTN8 final two weeks ago, while Deano van Rooyen slotted in at right-back in place of Thabiso Monyane.
Deon Hotto was moved back to left-back in place of captain Innocent Maela who played there against Stellenbosch FC in Durban, while there were rare starts for Selaelo Rasebotja and Karim Kimvuidi in Riveiro's team.
The changes seemed to have impacted Bucs negatively as Magesi appeared to have it easy in midfield, while there were unusual mistakes in defence, especially from Sesane who scored an own goal and conceded a penalty which resulted in the third goal as the Limpopo outfit went into the break cruising 3-0.
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"It's all about managing the squad, and really the coach cannot be blamed for that. It wasn't too many changes – a forced change in defence and the two players in midfield (Rasebotja and Kimvuidi) and that was it. But the line-up should revert to normal (in the next match, with Maswanganyi expected to start)," said the source.
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