Nkosinathi Sibisi believes Orlando Pirates’ emerging talent has the quality and maturity to handle the intensity of Saturday’s Soweto derby, with the captain confident the occasion can provide valuable preparation for the club’s forthcoming CAF Champions League campaign.
Pirates meet Kaizer Chiefs at a sold-out FNB Stadium, with both sides unbeaten in the Betway Premiership this season. The 3.30pm kick-off promises another fiercely contested encounter between South Africa’s biggest rivals, but Sibisi insists his younger team-mates should relish the opportunity rather than be intimidated by it.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, the defender praised the contribution of the club’s rising stars, several of whom have already made an impression in the first team.
“If you’re good enough, you are old enough to be on that pitch,” Sibisi said. “These boys listen; whenever you give guidance, they tend to take it. I think the proof is in the pudding.”
He added that every player called upon by the coaching staff had delivered, with plenty more potential still to be unlocked.
Pirates know they face a confident Chiefs side, but Sibisi believes concentrating on their own performance will be decisive.
“They have not lost in the league; it speaks volumes of what they have been doing. But we have to focus on what we have to do, and I think if we get that right, we will get the result on Saturday,” he said.
The previous league meeting ended 1-1 in April, with physical contests a defining feature. Sibisi acknowledged that Pirates have sometimes struggled when opponents make matches particularly combative, but insisted the team are working to improve.
“Physicality isn’t a problem if it’s fair,” he said. “We just want to play football in the best manner possible.”