South African-born defender Lyema Dopolo has offered his assessment of Orlando Pirates’ attacking trio of Yanela Mbuthuma, Tshepang Moremi, and Gamphani Lungu ahead of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round return leg.
The African Stars centre-back shared his thoughts on the Buccaneers’ frontline following the first-leg encounter in Gaborone.
The Namibian outfit suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the reigning Betway Premiership champions on Saturday, 17 October, with Tshepang Moremi’s solitary strike securing a crucial away win for Pirates at the Botswana National Stadium.
Reflecting on the challenge of containing the Sea Robbers’ frontline, Dopolo noted that facing players of such high calibre serves as a true benchmark for his own career.
Speaking during a media interaction with the South African Football Journalists’ Association (SAFJA) on Thursday morning, Dopolo highlighted the squad depth and international experience within the Soweto giants’ camp as the primary reasons they operate at such a ‘high level’.
HOW LYEMA DOPOLO VIEWS PIRATES’ ATTACKING TRIO AND WHAT MAKES THE BUCCANEERS DIFFERENT
“You know, Pirates are at a different level compared to African Stars. Half of the squad is representing the national team, so that alone says a lot,” said Dopolo.
Pinpointing the front three he faced in Botswana last weekend, the defender highlighted the collective quality of Mbuthuma, Moremi, and Lungu.
“Regarding the attackers, if I’m not mistaken, Pirates’ front three represent the national team. From the team that we played, it was Yanela Mbuthuma, Tshepang Moremi, and Gamphani Lungu. They are all national team players, and that on its own says a lot about the level of Orlando Pirates,” he continued.
“I can also say that they are quite smart and quick. But as I have mentioned, it’s also good for me to test myself against the best. That’s why I said after the game, ‘This is where I belong.'”
LYEMA DOPOLO ON TESTING HIMSELF AGAINST THE BEST
Despite falling short in the opening leg, Dopolo expressed immense pride in stepping onto the continental stage against one of African football’s most storied institutions.
“It was quite a great feeling to step onto the pitch against Orlando Pirates. As I have mentioned in my previous interviews, Orlando Pirates is a great institution in African football. So, being up against the country’s best was quite a great feeling, and I cannot lie about that,” Dopolo added.
“After that game, I felt like that’s where I belong, on this kind of stage [playing in the CAF Champions League], and also to share the pitch with some of our national team players. As you all know, most of the Pirates squad are part of the national team. So, it’s quite great, and I take a lot of positives from that game.”
African Stars will look to overturn the deficit in South Africa for the return leg. The Buccaneers are set to host the Namibian side on Friday, 23 October 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 at the Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto.
RELATED STORY: Lyema Dopolo and Liam April offer a glimpse of potential against Pirates
