Durban - Orlando Pirates have received an injury boost ahead of their trip to Golden Arrows at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday as important players Thembinkosi Lorch, Zakhele Lepasa and Innocent Maela have reportedly returned to training with the squad.
A source confirmed to South African media that the aforementioned trio resumed training recently, though they failed to speculate whether the players will be returning to action sooner rather than later.
“The guys are back and fully training with the whole squad. It’s good news because you know that we have been struggling with injuries and the results have not been going well for us. Unfortunately for us, it happened in the early stage of the league. I’m very happy that they are back and because the team has not been doing good. We are yet to find a perfect starting line-up,” said the source.
Bad luck as once again worked against Pirates this season as the Soweto giants find themselves in a disappointing seventh place in the league standings after having picked up just three wins from their 10 top-flight games to date.
Pirates already find themselves a mammoth 11 points behind early season runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Sea Robbers also enter their clash against Arrows on the back of a 2-1 Soweto derby loss against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs and after having won just one out of their last six league games.
Several players have missed out on action for Pirates in recent times due to injury and among them include Lorch, Vincent Pule, Maela, captain Happy Jele, Gabadinho Mhango and Ben Motshwari.
Meanwhile, Arrows who finished the league in an impressive fourth place last season have so far been unable to replicate their heroics from last season. Abafana Bes’thende enters their game against Pirates in tenth place and having picked up just two wins in the league so far under coach Lehlohonolo Seema.
Arrows enter the game on the back of two consecutive 0-0 stalemates against Moroka Swallows and Stellenbosch FC.
Seema wants his team to fight against Pirates.
“We know that we will be up against one of the big teams in the country and one that is expected to win while home and away. As Golden Arrows, we have worked hard and keep clean sheets in our last two games which were our first two clean sheets of the season. They have a good team and we will give them the respect they deserve. We only have two injuries and a good squad to choose from,” said Seema.