Casric Stars target history while bracing for wounded Orlando Pirates

Pirates come into this Nedbank Cup last 16 match still reeling from a 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership top-of-the-table clash at FNB Stadium in midweek.  

Despite being pegged back by the reigning league champions, The Buccaneers have maintained a good run Esgodini, and Mthombeni knows they will have to be at their best. 

"First of all, I know it's difficult to play Orlando Pirates in Orlando because, if you look at their results, I think they don't lose games at Orlando Stadium," said Mthombeni.

"Secondly, I think their supporters come in numbers and their coach [Abdeslam Ouaddou], I think, hasn't lost a game there yet, but on the day football doesn't have a therefore.

"If we can go there and just stick to our game plan, and do not have any fear, I think anything can happen."

READ: Pirates refuse to panic after Mamelodi Sundowns defeat

With Pirates having conceded only three goals in their last 10 matches, Mthombeni has highlighted Casric's equally impressive defensive record, and says they just to avoid conceding early.

"We need not to concede too early and we can't just go and play an open game, but we will try to stick to our game plan, because if you can check, our last seven games we've had five clean sheets, so we're also a team that is not conceding much," he noted.

"And our results this year, we've had better results away than at home, and we are a team that actually scores a lot, but we defend very well – we've played seven games and conceded only three goals.

"If we can defend very well, and we can contain the pressure for 30 minutes, I think the result can go either way, but after [Wednesday's] game – because I know Pirates wanted a draw the way the game was too tactical, I think they will try by all means to come at us.

"We need to make sure we stick to our game plan and our players do not have fear when we get there because we're going to play against, I think, a full capacity [stadium]."