Orlando Pirates have suffered a double blow in their squad for the crucial midweek clash against Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday night.
The Soweto giants will travel to the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban to face Arrows as they continue to chase Mamelodi Sundowns in the title race.
Pirates are heading into the clash against the KZN-based side high on confidence after claiming an impressive 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby on Saturday.
Before beating their arch-rivals, Pirates suffered back-to-back losses against Pyramids FC in the CAF Champions League and Sekhukhune United in the league.
With the Buccaneers eager to collect maximum points when they lock horns with Arrows, they have been dealt a huge blow as two key players, Nkosinathi Sibisi and Thalente Mbatha, will be suspended.
Mbatha, a key figure in Pirates’ midfield, received his fourth yellow card of the season during the game against Amakhosi.
MBATHA FORMED A STRONG MIDFIELD COMBINATION WITH MAKHEHLENE MAKHAULA
The Bafana Bafana international, Mbatha, has built a strong partnership with Makhehlene Makhaula in the central-midfield for Pirates.
Mbatha has featured in 38 appearances across all competitions for the Ghosts. He has scored four goals and provided one assist.
The 25-year-old joined Pirates on a permanent deal from SuperSport United in July 2024, having spent the second round of last season with Bucs.
On the other hand, Jose Riveiro’s troops will also miss Nkosinathi Sibisi, who will be sidelined for the last match after being shown a red card against Babina last week.
The hard-tackling defender also missed the Soweto Derby as part of his two-match suspension.
Pirates are likely to have Tapelo Xoki and Mbekezeli Mbokazi as the two centre-backs in the absence of Nkosinathi Sibisi.
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