PODCAST | ‘That moment tells you a lot about Lorch’: Pirates’ Xoki on penalty

Thembinkosi Lorch showed how streetwise he is with his piece of improvisation taunting a game-changing handball and penalty out of Sekhukhune United’s Victor Letsoalo in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final, Bucs captain Tapelo Xoki said.

After Sibusiso Vilakazi opened the scoring for Sekhukhune in the 12th minute at Loftus Versfeld Pirates were left to grittily fight back into the game.

In first-half injury time Lorch had the ball and was twisting and turning on the right of the box as Letsoalo fell injured. The Bucs forward continued to tease the ball in front of Letsoalo, who eventually hand-balled, and referee Thando Ndzandzeka pointed to the spot.

Xoki scored the penalty. Terrence Dvukamanja struck five minutes into second-half added time for Pirates to lift the trophy.

Some have questioned how sportsmanlike it was for Lorch to keep playing with a player down injured, but in an attacking position around the box most players do.

Xoki and teammate Thabiso Monyane, speaking to Marawa Sports Worldwide, said Lorch’s improvisation and presence of mind to attempt the audacious was a game-changer.

Xoki, who has worn Bucs’ armband while captain Innocent Maela was out injured, was asked if Lorch shared any insight into the moment in the change room at the break.

“Not really, because we were still trying to say, ‘OK guys, we’ve got a second half, we have to go and win the game’. But, for me, I like the guy,” the centreback chuckled.

“The intelligence of trying something like that. That moment tells you a lot about Lorch — streetwise, very smart and he wanted to win.

“He really wanted the cup from the first game where he came back from his injury. You could see his desire and willingness to go out and deliver something for us.

“And he’s been great for us in the second half of the season. We had many injuries this campaign. When we got key injuries he was coming back and he lifted us big time.

“So we appreciate and love him and we’re just going to keep supporting him and [look forward to] more streetwise moves.”

Monyane said: “That was a game-changing decision right there. For him to even think about doing that, the player down just reaching for the ball.

“Because we went out there to give everything we had to the supporters and end on a high.

“And he took that decision and today we’re speaking here with our medals on and the cup in the cabinet, and the rest is history.”

The players discussed the influence of coach Jose Riveiro in his first season in the Premier Soccer League, and how he went about imparting his personality, management and playing style on Pirates after his arrival in July last year.

Riveiro steered the Buccaneers to their most successful season in a decade with a cup double — Pirates lifted the MTN8 in November — and second-placed finish in the DStv Premiership that sees them return to the Caf Champions League next campaign.

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