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Lekgwathi backs Bucs strikers

Soweto - Orlando Pirates skipper Lucky Lekgwathi leapt to the defence of the club’s under-fire strikers stating it was the responsibility of any player on the field to put the ball in the back of the net.

The Buccaneers strikers have not contributed greatly to their goal tally. Overall Pirates have scored 39 goals coming from eight players and most of them midfielders.

Lekgwathi, who became one of the few players to reach the 300 appearance milestone, said goal scoring was the responsibility of the whole team and not of selected few players.

The Pirates skipper is among many defenders and midfielders at the club to have found the back of the net this season. Those goals could prove crucial as the title race nears its end. The current Pirates top goal scorer is midfielder Isaac Chansa, who has nine goals to his name in all competitions. “We are playing like a team and scoring goals should be the responsibility of all of us,” Lekgwathi told the club’s official website.

“I mean, if I find myself in the box then I have to try to score. I tried hard against Mpumalanga Black Aces, but the keeper was too good on the night. I try pushing myself to score because as a member of the team I have to do what it takes to help the team win,” he said.

Pirates are well on course for a league and cup treble after making it to the final of the Nedbank Cup with a 1-0 victory over Black Aces. They will now face Black Leopards in the May 28 final at Mbombela Stadium. But for now, the Pirates focus is on May 21 as they prepare to host Arrows with the hope that their strikers find the target.

“It would not be fair to criticise the strikers because if we defenders or the midfielders score goals, it could be that sometimes it is because the strikers make space for us or drive the opposition defenders away with their runs, which creates space for others to score. I think they have contributed to our success although it would have been good if they could also score some goals,” said Lekgwathi.

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