Adoring fans have likened Orlando Pirates’ prolific scoring Zakhele Lepasa to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, one of the world’s foremost strikers.
The laudatory comparison comes after Lepasa’s rich vein of form has yielded nine goals from seven matches in all competitions this season. He is far and away the most in-form attacker in the domestic arena and a huge fan favourite in Soweto.
He will be Orlando Pirates’ go-to-man against Stellenbosch FC in today’s MTN8 semi-final first leg at the Athlone Stadium (starting at 3pm).
Pirates coach José Riveiro said Lepasa’s confidence is high. It has helped his talismanic forward to arguably become the most predatory striker in local football.
“Zakes (Zakhele) is in a very good moment of form,” said the Spanish tactician. “He is in that moment where strikers have confidence, even when it is the rebound or from long range, heading, you can see he is in a good space.
“We just need to try and continue that with whoever is playing there, Zakes or anyone else in that position. The forwards can have those situations. Luckily for them, you see the quality of the players behind them, I think they will have a lot of fun.”
Steve Barker, the Stellenbosch coach, knows all about the threat posed by Lepasa, who spent six months at the Winelands club while on a loan spell from Pirates a few seasons ago.
“I’m very pleased for Lepasa,” said Barker. “He had a stint with us on loan, but at the time Iqraam Rayners was doing well for us. So, it was difficult for him to break into the team.
“Zakhele’s always been a hard-working, talented footballer who takes his craft seriously. I think that long injury set him back, but it is to his credit that he overcome that.
“We know he’s dangerous, and he’s got a good finish on him. He is also playing with confidence, and is somebody we must keep a lid on.”
Rayners, last season’s Nedbank Cup Player of the Year, will shoulder Stellenbosch’s hopes of winning this first-leg tie since he has proved to be a match-winner in the past, although he has had a quiet start to the season.
He only has one goal to his credit thus far, but has used his ability to create space for others due to the attention he enjoys from opposition defences.
Barker rates Pirates as one of the most improved teams in the league and has likened the biblical clash of David (Stellies) versus Goliath (Pirates).
“I think that from the beginning of last year up until now, Pirates are probably one of the most improved teams,” said Barker.
“They showed it last season by winning two Cups and getting second position in the Premiership.
“They have strengthened well, they brought in some exciting attacking players.
“They are a team that plays with confidence. They play with energy; they move the ball well, and have match-winners all around the park.
“They are a good team and have improved a lot. We have also improved over the last couple of weeks.
“One can say that this is a Goliath versus David semi-final. And we all know what David did!”
@Herman_Gibbs