Oswin Appollis confident Orlando Pirates will 'bounce back' in the Soweto Derby and warns ‘We have a whole week to prepare’

After weeks of coach Abdeslam Ouaddou lamenting Orlando Pirates’ wastefulness in front of goal, the issue has finally caught up with them. In two crucial encounters, they needed just a goal or two to change the course of the game but failed to deliver.

Against Mamelodi Sundowns in the league game, it was clear that had Pirates broken the deadlock, the match could have unfolded very differently. The same story repeated itself in the Nedbank Cup, where they failed to find the net over 120 minutes, leaving themselves vulnerable.

Buccaneers duo Oswin Appollis and Kamogelo Sebelebele expressed their disappointment at the outcomes, but Appollis remains confident that they can turn the tide in their next fixture.

"It's a difficult one to swallow, you know, but I think the boys fought today [Saturday], we created so many chances, and we couldn't score today," said Appollis, after the match to the Bucs media team.

However, not all is lost for the 24-year-old, who was once on the radar of Kaizer Chiefs, the very team Pirates will face in a highly anticipated encounter set to bring the country to a standstill as the Soweto giants lock horns.

Amakhosi will be in action on Tuesday against a tough Stellenbosch side, while the Mayfair outfit will have the luxury of rest as they prepare for the highly anticipated Soweto Derby.

"We will definitely bounce back. We have the whole week to prepare for our next game. So, we will definitely put in the work to focus on the next game," he said.

Kamogelo Sebelebele also reflected on the team’s challenging times and acknowledged that despite giving their all, the results didn’t go their way.

"We are disappointed we lost the game today," said Sebelebele.

"We are coming from another loss during the week; we're not happy as a team. We plan, but God decides at the end of the day.

"We came to today's game to win, not to lose, and I think we fought from the start of the game to the end of the game. Unfortunately, we didn't get the results we wanted."

As things stand, it seems both Soweto giants are struggling with similar challenges, particularly in front of goal. The upcoming clash will not only test their ability to break deadlocks but also their mental strength and tactical discipline under pressure.

It will be fascinating to see which team works harder to overcome their scoring struggles and claim the crucial points, with the Premier Soccer League title still very much up for grabs.