Orlando Pirates’ cold shoulder towards Gabadinho Mhango getting warmer

Cape Town - Orlando Pirates will be spoilt for choice when they select the matchday squad to play Royal Leopards of Eswatini in Sunday's CAF Confederation Cup Group B match at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga.

It's not the only spoil the ever-improving Pirates will enjoy. Instead of a flight across the border to play in neighbouring Eswatini, Pirates won't have to leave the country for this away game.

They will only need a bus drive from Orlando to Mbombela. CAF have declared Royal Leopards' home venue (Mavuso Sports Centre) unsuitable for matches under its jurisdiction.

Selection may not have been Pirates' strong point in recent times, and the co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids have taken flak from the media for their choices.

Ncikazi and Davids have been repeatedly asked by the media why Malawian striker Gabadinho Mhango has been cold shoulder after several impressive outings at the recent Afcon in Cameroon.

Last week in Benghazi, Pirates finally relented and brought on Mhango as a second-half substitute, and he didn't disappoint. After he joined the fray, Pirates' press improved somewhat, and he did enough to warrant a slot in Sunday's run-on XI. Pirates lost 3-2 to Al Ittihad of Libya, but they should have at least come away with a point from the match, which they dominated at various stages.

Pirates have reported that close to a 100% of the squad is available for selection. Ncikazi and Davids have opted for continuity, making minimal changes to the starting personnel during their tenure.

The Eswatini upstarts Royal Leopards had been in sparkling form on the domestic front, but they came a cropper against JS Saoura in Algeria last week in their Confederation Cup opener. They went down 2-0 after conceding two