New Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has been handed a fresh headache following confirmation of a trio of player set to miss the MTN8 quarterfinal against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Bucs host Sundowns in a sold-out first-leg of the semi-finals at Orlando, needing to take a positive result to the second leg pencilled in for a week later.
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On the back of two consecutive Betway Premiership defeats, they will be looking to continue their good form in the MTN8, having breezed past Polokwane City in the previous round.
However, they will have to do that without at least three players, who are ruled out due to injury.
Those are club captain Nkosinathi Sibisi, Olisa Ndah, and PSL Midfielder of the Season Makhehlene Makhaula.
“Most of the players are available. We only have Sibisi, Makhaula, who is still coming back from his injury.
“We still have Ndah out, but most of the players are still available," confirmed Ouaddou at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
The two powerhouses are no strangers to wrestling each other in the MTN8, having locked horns in the final of the 2023/24 season, where Relebohile Mofokeng struck late for a 2-1 victory.
The Soweto giants were also the winners the last time the two teams met, albeit in the league, in March, courtesy of a Mofokeng brace.
Kick-off is at 15:00.
Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
