Veteran coach Muhsin Ertugral has thrown down the gauntlet, claiming that his Cape Town City FC side can win the SA elite league next season.
The Citizens suffered a 2-1 defeat against Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership on Saturday afternoon at Orlando Stadium.
CT City drew the first blood after finding the back of the net in the first half through Haashim Domingo to go to the half-time break leading Pirates 1-0.
In the second half, the Buccaneers staged a comeback with goals from Tshegofatso Mabasa and Goodman Mosele. The win against CTCity kept Pirates’ title chase alive, as they are 12 points adrift of log-leaders Mamelodi Sundowns with three games in hand.
On the other hand, CT City’s loss to Pirates saw them go five matches without registering a victory in the Premiership. The Cape Town-based outfit last collected maximum points on the 17th of January 2025 after beating Richards Bay FC 2-1.
So far this campaign, they have collected 21 points after winning six games, drawing three, and losing ten times in 17 matches.
MUHSIN ERTUGRAL TIPS CAPE TOWN CITY FOR LEAGUE HONOURS NEXT SEASON
While CT City are struggling to find a consistent winning form, Ertugral says his troops can win the league in the next campaign. He believes the club has good players to challenge for the title, which Sundowns has won seven times in a row.
CT City have quality players like Domingo, Prins Tjiueza (Liria Prizren), Fortune Makaringe, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Carlos do Carmo in their squad.
“I can talk, but we need to find a tune which makes up a team, and I’m pretty sure if the team stays like this, next season, this team [Cape Town City] can win the league,” said Ertugral. I have to be careful with what I say, but they’ll definitely be in the challenge.”
Meanwhile, Ertugral went on to explain what makes Pirates a difficult side to beat at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
The Soweto giants have turned Orlando Stadium into a fortress as they have suffered defeat once at the venue against Stellenbosch FC in the league this season.
“I think how Orlando Pirates plays, there’s a lot of variation in their abilities when the players on the bench come on; they put the bar a little bit higher,” he said.
“The pressure mounts, and that forces you to sit even more back…so Orlando Stadium is a great Stadium, and the team is good because the coaches have done a great job here. They found which players suit their system because football is also about relations, and the kind of relations on the pitch is controlled by players.”
RELATED STORY: Muhsin Ertugral’s revelation: The “neglected’ star at CT City
