1 day Ago
The Sea Robbers suffered a setback in their 2024/25 Betway Premiership season, losing their first game 1-0 to their challenging opponents, Stellenbosch FC, at Orlando. Mayoyo emphasizes that winning the league title is the most important priority for the side at this moment, rather than attempting to secure the CAF Champions League title. Recently, Jose Riveiro's charges won their Group C opener against CR Belouizdad 2-1 in Algeria, but they struggled to break down Stellenbosch.
"In Africa, any opponent can present a challenge compared to playing at home, where there is always pressure," Mayoyo tells . "We must acknowledge that Stellenbosch is not an easy team to face. "We can't ignore the fact that Pirates' experience in Africa is different from that of [Mamelodi] Sundowns, who possess greater depth needed at that level.
"It differs from Sundowns, whose players often haven't been utilised in domestic football. They can travel to Africa with a squad that hasn't played a single home game in four weeks. "Sundowns have gained ground; they are far ahead," he says.
Mayoyo believes it will be challenging for teams like Pirates, along with other clubs that are still new to African competitions, to perform at the same level as Sundowns. "Pirates should concentrate more on domestic football to ensure that they consistently qualify for these tournaments. They can only improve by regularly participating.
It’s not something that happens overnight. "As you can see, Sundowns have played in more semi-finals than finals, and this process takes time.".
