Following Monnapule Saleng's absence, Soccer Laduma measures whether Orlando Pirates will miss him in the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs.
Saleng is yet to make the 18-man squad for Pirates since he started in a goalless draw against Al Ahly in early December, with the club not providing any official update regarding his no show.
The 26-year-old's absence has been heartfelt, especially with the Buccaneers having a small margin of dropping points, in a title race with Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Ghost will still have Saleng fond in their memories in the Soweto Derby against Chiefs, after he scored a brace in the last meeting between the sides in March in the Premiership, in a 3-2 victory.
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With Ashley Du Preez also scoring twice for Amakhosi, the North West native attacker scored the winning goal after Thabiso Lebitso had made it 2-2.
However, that was the only time Pirates beat Amakhosi in the league with the Bafana Bafana winger in the field, as their 1-0 win in the same 2022/23 season, with Evidence Makgopa scoring, in the first round, was achieved with the left-footed forward as an unused substitute on the bench.
With Saleng in the best form of his career, in the 2022/23 campaign, where he was crowned Players' Player of the Season, he was subdued in both league games against the Glamour Boys, as the Naturena-based side won both meetings 1-0, with the 26-year-old starting in both losses against their chief rivals.
Chiefs won the first round encounter thanks to a long range goal by Yusuf Maart and the second win came via an own goal by Olisa Ndah in the last minutes.
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However, the former Free State Stars forward's presence was felt in Pirates' 2-1 win over Amakhosi in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals in May 2023.
Saleng had an assist to the first goal scored by Kermit Erasmus and after Maart equalized for the Glamour Boys, Sandile Mthethwa netted the winner for Ezimnyama late in extra-time.
