Games against Sekhukhune United and Stellenbosch FC are the type of games that are always of fine margins and it’s in those games that you need someone who can just finish a half chance because it’s sort of games that clear cut chances are not always going to be plenty but unfortunately Bucs lacked that sort of a player to help them grind and this is not to say they didn’t try hard to win.

Orlando Pirates had few chances to score especially just at the stroke of half time but Makgopa was unfortunate to watch as Renaldo Leaner saved his short on the line apart from that, it was only half chances that needed someone who is prolific enough to put them away but it wasn’t to be. The good thing is, Bucs is equal on points with log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns FC though having a game in hand of which it must be a win at all costs to retain their realistic chances of fighting for the title this season. We expected Orlando Pirates to win especially after rivals had won midweek but looking at the type of opponents they faced, it was always not going to be easy just to collect points and move on. Overall, I think a point gained from this game it’s a point that can be appreciated later in the season.

As I previously said many times, Orlando Pirates Football Club‘s biggest challenge even under Jose Riveiro, was inconsistency in the first round of the season as the second round the team became more consistent in terms of performances and results and considering that they have been almost flawless in the first round of the season to accumulate more points at this stage of the season, suggests that even though they will drop a point here and there, they are in a far better position to challenge for the league title than previous season.

Few months ago when Romanian giants FSB were reported to be close to agreeing terms with Orlando Pirates Football Club for Tshegofatso Mabasa, I made post saying the club shouldn’t sell their soul to the highest bidder because they don’t have a clinical finisher like the former Bloemfontein Celtic left footed centre forward. In the last few years, I wrote and taught about the difference between Mabasa and Makgopa and also went on to explain why the Towering front is getting the nod ahead of many prolific goalscorers in the national.

Now with Orlando Pirates having a realistic chance of winning the league after more than a decade of trying, they might have just committed arguably one of their biggest blunders in a decade by loaning out their most clinical finisher when his goals in games of fine margins would have proved vital to keep their realistic title hopes alive. Most of Orlando Pirates team goals are coming from wingers and that has more to do with how Evidence Makgopa make movements in relation to the runs of his teammates by either pulling wide to create a gap between fullbacks and centrebacks for teammates to exploit or by just dropping off the to drag centrebacks inside while creating space in behind for runners like Moremi, Appollis and Mofokeng to exploit with devastating speed to get goals.

Tshegofatso Mabasa is different from Makgopa. He’s not a pressing machine nor an explosive striker to run in behind but a penalty-box predator who can finish ruthlessly with first touch and that’s a quality that all Bucs forwards doesn’t have. Kabelo Dlamini is one playmaker who knows how to feed Mabasa but unfortunately both haven’t been playing let alone together but it’s understandable due to the tactical decisions of the coach. However, I still believe that Orlando Pirates management indirectly, surrendered their title hopes by loaning out Mabasa when his clutch moments were gonna make a lot of difference even when just coming off from the bench. Bucs are closer to winning the league and it’s not something that happens often and that should have informed the management that they need to keep him and give him a fair chance. As good as Mbuthuma and Radiopane are, they are not in the level of Mabasa in terms of finishing because at some point wingers won’t score or will lose form but you need a proven goalscorer even if it’s just for 20 minutes.

I appreciate the addition of Andre De Jong because he’s a hell of a creator and brings technical quality, physical prowess and experience but he’s nowhere near Mabasa’s clinical finishing inside the box and while he could help the team get goals like Makgopa does and get a goal or two in process, I still think it would have been better to bring him as Kwayiba left and keep Mabasa to help in the running in of the title because once Oswin Appolis gets injured for two to three weeks, all vulnerabilities like profligacy in front of goal could return. Mabasa wanted to play of course and was close to breaking the record but was not desperate like someone who wants to be in the national team since he knows his fate especially when Hugo Broos is still in the helm of national team so I believe the situation was supposed to be handled better. Despite having a deadly duo of Iqram Rayners and Peter Shalulile, Sundowns saw it fit to add more attackers in Saleng and the South American because they know that they will need goals irrespective of who is injured or suspended and Pirates management can’t tell me that they had enough depth in that front line department.