Lucky break can bring cup home

A week ago Lucky Lekgwathi's chances of leading Orlando Pirates in tonight's Caf Champions League final against Al Ahly were about as remote as the Atlantic Ocean island Tristan da Cunha.

A suspension to right back and stand-in skipper Happy Jele, and Bucs' limited squad registered for the competition, have brought him back into the fold. Now the sturdy defender stands a chance of lifting the only trophy that has eluded him in a dazzling career that goes back to 1997.

The joke in the 2011 and 2012 seasons was Lekgwathi's biceps had increased in size from raising six trophies.

"Now I can only hope I'll lift a Champions League trophy. We know the supporters back home will be with us in spirit and I believe we can do it for them," the likeable Lekgwathi said on Friday.

This week, coach Roger de Sa was adamant the club captain's spell on the fringes had nothing to do with Lekgwathi speaking out in his newspaper columns after being dropped from Bucs' squad for the MTN8 final five weeks ago. That was between the office and the player, De Sa said.

Either way, Jele's exit has thrown a lifeline to the 37-year-old warhorse. Lekgwathi is the only survivor of the 2006 Buccaneers who lost 1-0 on aggregate to Étoile du Sahel in the semifinals. From there it was downhill for Pirates in the Champions League, concluding in first-round exits in 2010 and last year.

"We showed a lot of fight in 2006," Lekgwathi reminisced. "After that, I think the thing was losing our games at home. From my experience, I told my teammates this year that if we want to do well, we have to make sure at home.

"Doing that helped us get through the early stages and into the group phase. It made the difference."

Pirates' "ultimate veteran" faces a Champions League final after five weeks out of action, marking a player 11 years his junior - slippery left wing Walid Soliman, scorer of four goals in the group phase.

"I have to make sure I use my experience," Lekgwathi said. "I'm the captain and I have to lead by example. I've played Soliman. I know him very well and that he's a dangerous player."

It's almost bizarre that question marks have been raised about the age of 32-year-old centre back Rooi Mahamutsa, when a 37-year-old will be asked to run up and down the field like a spring chicken on Mahamutsa's right.

"It's one of the things killing the game in South Africa. Rooi, at his age, is one of the best defenders in the PSL, on form," Lekgwathi said.

"We shouldn't focus so much on ages - focus on performances."

Millions of South Africans will be watching Lekgwathi's performance on their TV sets this evening.

It will be perhaps the most important display he's ever had to produce.