Pirates face man who once engineered their humiliation

Almost a decade ago, a group of college students inflicted one of the most humiliating defeats imaginable on the mighty Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup – the South African version of the FA Cup.

The Maluti Further Education and Training (FET) students then campaigning in the third tier of South African football handed Pirates a 4-1 beating to eliminate the Premiership giants from the lucrative competition that offers the winner a ticket to participate in the CAF Confederation Cup.

And the man who probably conjurs up the nightmares of Phuthaditjhaba – where the 4-1 massacre was enacted, is back to haunt Orlando Pirates in the second round of the CAF Champions League on September 15.

Morena Ramoreboli it was who masterminded that incredulous if not unbelievable 4-1 beating of Pirates is in charge of Botswana champions – Jwaneng Galaxy who meet Pirates over two legs in the second round of the CAF Champions League.

Ramoreboli also moonlights as a coach for the South African senior national team and two years ago, won the COSAFA tournament with a hastily assembled Bafana Bafana but if anything, that victory underlined his credentials as one of the most astute coaches around.

Galaxy earned the right to face Pirates after eliminating Ugandan champions Vipers 3-2 on aggregate and probably fancy their chances of advancing to the group stage of the competition against the 1995 African champions League winners.

Pirates on the other easily dispatched of Comoros islanders Djabal 4-0 on aggregate but there is no doubt that against their neighbours they would come up against players who would be buoyed by an opportunity to market themselves to a league considered the most commercially successful on the continent.

They have seen how compatriot and former Township Rollers central defender earned respect after starring for SuperSport United and ended up signing for Kaizer Chiefs and would be inspired to make South African club owners that they could also follow in the footsteps of legends like Dipsy Selolwane and Gino Gabonamong.

Not that Pirates would roll over and allow their neighbours to streamroll them, but the swashbucking Pirates would be advised to be aware of one Thabang Sesenyi, scorer of both goals when they defeated Vipers 2-0 in Gaborone.