First published in Daily Maverick 168

During the recent first leg of the MTN8 semifinal, Orlando Pirates fan favourites Vincent Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch showed glimpses of the form and combination play that saw them both have outstanding individual seasons in 2018/2019.

The duo frequently fed off each other and that year Lorch was named Premier Soccer League (PSL) footballer of the season after 20 goal contributions from 40 games in all competitions. Pule picked up nine goals and five assists from two games fewer than Lorch that season.

At the end of all those performances the Bucs had nothing to show for it, losing the league title by just two points to Mamelodi Sundowns, and were bundled out of the cup competitions as well.

Heading into last season, there was hope from the Bucs faithful that the duo would replicate or even improve on that form, and propel Pirates to their first piece of silverware in more than half a decade.

Pule was confident they would do so, lavishing praise on his mate before the start of the 2019/2020 season. “I think he’s done fantastically well; he was unbelievable last season – pressing, scoring goals and assisting – he was just unbelievable,” the lanky attacker had said of Lorch.

Underwhelming follow-up

But the hope withered quickly as Lorch struggled from the onset last season, going the 10 games without a goal. He eventually managed to score only three goals and lay on another five assists in all competitions – a paltry return compared to his previous haul.

The Bafana Bafana winger’s performances were further hampered by rumours of a failed international move after his magical season, and compounded when he made headlines later in the season for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

Pule evidently struggled immensely without his partner in defence terrorism. For his part, he only managed six goal contributions (three goals and three assists) throughout the season.

Followers of the Soweto giants will have undoubtedly been pleased to see the two come to the party as they scored a goal each when Pirates dismantled Gavin Hunt’s Chiefs 3-0 in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-final.

Following that success, Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer, who has briefly returned to Germany after his son had a car accident, heaped praise on the two playmakers.

“We fight for spaces and then we had chances and then you need luck for the second and third goal. And this was important. Compliments to the team. Compliments to Lorch, he had a top game … But the other guys, also. Pule’s running, he made a good goal,” Zinnbauer told Supersport TV after the game.

Of course, following the mass bolstering of Pirates’ squad in the off season, including the likes of Deon Hotto and Terrence Dzvukamanja, competition for places is high. Pule and Lorch are by no means guaranteed starting berths in the team.

Knowing this might inspire the two to step up their game even further. Which will bode well for the Bucs and their supporters, and give them hope that their extended title drought will soon be over.

Additional firepower

Someone else who will be glad to see the pair firing on cylinders is Malawian sharpshooter and the joint top scorer in last season’s league campaign, Gabadinho Mhango.

While Pule and Lorch laboured and toiled in the previous campaign, Pirates relied heavily on the 28-year-old striker. He scored 16 of the Buccaneers’ 4o league goals.

With the creative hub of the team promising to kick on, he will be licking his lips at the prospect of even more goals. Moreover, he will not feel like he has the world on his shoulders and has to score in every single game, or the team will drop points.

Last season, when Mhango hit dry spells, the team also struggled for goals. With these two teammates potentially bringing not only assists for him, but goals when the team most needs them and he cannot provide them, he will undoubtedly play with more freedom.

Early injury concern

The season is still in its infancy though, and there is no guarantee that the form Pule and Lorch have shown so far will be maintained. With games coming thick and fast after a delayed start to the season, injuries might also be a factor.

Lorch has already had a knock to the knee in Pirates’ 1-0 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic midweek. The gravity of the injury is unknown at this point, but the Buccaneers will be hoping that it’s nothing long term. With a two-week international break on the horizon, the hope will be that the silky-skilled winger will use that time to recover.

Zinnbauer’s temporary absence might prove to be another factor in relation to how the team performs in the immediate future.

But with assistant coach Fadlu Davids taking over the reins for now, there should still be stability and continuity. Davids has been with Pirates for almost two years, having joined in January 2019. So, he knows Pule and Lorch, as well as how best to use them.

Speaking after their one-all draw against AmaZulu a few weeks ago, when Lorch and Pule came off the bench to change the tempo of the game, Davids lauded how the team – including all the newcomers – were starting to gel.

“Not the result we wanted in the last match, but the new players are starting to understand, gelling with the teammates, getting to understand our movements, non-verbal communication between each other, knowing exactly where to be on the pitch in defence and in attack. The fluidity is coming, we saw in the second half, now it’s just about finalising that chances we created to be able to score goals,” said Davids.

As for Lorch and Pule, they will hope the decent individual starts they’ve had to this season will be the rebirth of one of the most exciting player partnerships seen in the PSL in recent times. Especially as this can only benefit the team positively. DM168