Bafana Bafana are out of the Africa Cup of Nations following their round of 16 defeat to Cameroon, but the defeat could very well help Orlando Pirates.
Going into the tournament, the Buccaneers had a total of nine players in the South African national team. The majority of them featured in the four matches and will surely be given a two-week break before returning to action.
If Bafana had reached the final, most of Orlando Pirates’ top players would have missed their Betway Match against Sekhukhune United due to fatigue.
The Sea Robbers are currently top of the log after 12 matches and will look to extend their lead when they face Babina Noko on 24 January. A week later, they host Magesi in a league clash at the Orlando Stadium.
What gives Orlando Pirates a big advantage?
Both Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs will do battle in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, respectively, later this month. The Buccaneers, who are out of the Champions League, will get more rest and play fewer games than their rivals.
With nearly three weeks of rest from now until their match with Sekhukhune, Orlando Pirates will be sharp and hungry for more success.
Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men have already collected two trophies and are on course for a historic treble. The likes of Evidence Makgopa, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Oswin Appollis will surely fire in the second half of the season, given their AFCON experience.
Orlando Pirates players will be required for Bafana Bafana once again in March during the international break. Given the fact that the Bucs players would have played around 10 matches in the next two months, fatigue won’t be an issue for the Sea Robbers.