Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has given in-form forward Monnapule Saleng a piece of advice with the Soweto derby clash against Kaizer Chiefs on the horizon.
Pirates are oozing confidence after they booked their spot in the MTN8 final with a 3-0 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-finals second-leg.
Saleng was key in the Buccaneers' win as he scored a brace and gave an assist to the other goal scored by Kermit Erasmus.
Read: Four Headaches For Chiefs' Zwane Ahead Of Soweto Derby
Although Riveiro did not to single out the 24-year old, he said that it was important for him to stay humble, as there is still a lot of hard work ahead of the team.
"You know I don't like to individualize, I think, they are part of one structure, they have different responsibilities, I will never highlight your know or put the spotlight in one player," Riveiro told members of the media in a press conference.
"There are players who are more attractive for the fans of course, especially the ones who are on the chats of finalise, the progression of the boy that you mentioned (Saleng) is there.
"I think you can see the way he's coming week after week, now the key for him and for us is to stay humble, understand that this is just one game that give us one right to be in the final, that's it. We start again, the best ones and the ones who didn't play, so we go together," he added.
Saleng has been influential in Pirates games since he got a rare start in the goalless draw against Sundowns in the semi-final first-leg.
The former Free State Stars winger has scored four goals in six matches so far this season in all competitions and will be one of the dangerman Chiefs will have to deal with in the Soweto derby over the weekend.
Soccer Laduma looks at whether the Saleng factor for Pirates could force personnel or structural changes for Amakhosi in their defence.
The Glamour Boys have been building their defence around the centre-back pairing of Zitha Kwinika and Edmilson Dove, who has been praised by head coach Arthur Zwane to be giving them balance given that he's left-footed and is able to link up and cover for left-back Sifiso Hlanti.
However, Pirates' shape going forward could pose a few questions on how Chiefs approach the game defensively.
The Buccaneers have been playing Saleng closer to Erasmus upfront, where he starts off from the right wing and cuts inside to connect with the former Sundowns striker.
What that could mean for Chiefs is that Saleng will have to be confronted by one of the centre-backs when he drifts inside from the left and that area is usually occupied by Dove.
A big challenge for Amakhosi is that playing against a left-footed forward, drifting inside, would ideally require a right-footed centre-back to close the space inside.
Will Zwane change the personnel at the back and play with two right-footed centre-backs, Zitha Kwinika and Siyabonga Ngezana?
Or could Amakhosi change their structure and play with three centre-backs to deal with the threat posed by Saleng?
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