Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine has spoken highly of three of his teammates, acknowledging their recent standout performances so far in the new 2025/26 season.
Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Sipho Chaine made his comments after the Buccaneers advanced to the MTN8 final. Pirates secured their spot with a 4-1 penalty shootout victory over Mamelodi Sundowns after the second leg ended in a 1-1 draw, making it 2-2 on aggregate on Saturday in Pretoria.
Chaine was a hero for the Sea Robbers, saving two penalties from Teboho Mokoena and Marcelo Allende to send Ezimnyama Ngenkani to their fourth consecutive MTN8 final.
After the match, Chaine praised three young Pirates players—Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Lebone Seema, and Relebohile Mofokeng—for their excellent displays.
CHAINE LAUDS THREE PIRATES YOUNGSTERS
“They are amazing. I think throughout my small career, I haven’t seen boys at that age, I mean a 20-year-old doing what they are doing at centre-back [Mbokazi and Seema] up against experienced strikers and players,” said Chaine on SuperSport TV.
“For them [Mbokazi, Seema and Mofokeng] to come out and showcase what they do each week is a marvel to watch. I can just urge them to keep working hard, stay grounded. The best is yet to come.”
Mbokazi, who has seemingly cemented his position at centre-back, was introduced into the top-flight football by Jose Riveiro towards the end of the previous season.
He has quickly established himself as a reliable and strong presence in defence, adept at handling trusted attackers, particularly in the so-called big games. This season, he took the second vice-captain role and has been leading the team in the absence of the injured Nkosinathi Sibisi recently.
Meanwhile, with Sibisi out, Seema has stepped up and performed exceptionally well. He’s shown great composure in every game he’s played and has formed a strong partnership with Mbokazi.
And while Mofokeng is still working his way back to his best, he continues to make a significant impact and was instrumental in their run to the MTN8 final.
Both Mbokazi and Mofokeng are in the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria. The two matches will take place next month.
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