by Benjamin Nyirenda
In the past two games Orlando Pirates number one choice goalkeeper Richard Ofori has not been playing due to injury and his deputy Siyabonga Mphotshane has kept two clean sheets against Golden Arrows and Mamelodi Sundowns. Now Ofori is back at training and ready to fight his position ahead of the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.
Pirates host Rivals Chiefs at the Soweto Derby, which will see thousands of soccer loving fans return to the calabash for the first time for a game of this magnitude since the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020.
Despite the challenge from Mphotshane, the Ghanaian-born shot stopper says he is not in competition with anyone but himself.
He said this on the side of the partnership launch between Pirates and Marriott Bonvoy Group of Hotels on Tuesday afternoon in Melrose Arch Johannesburg.
“Yeah, Siya has done very well in the two games and kept two clean sheets. That’s good for the team. As much as I know I want to play but I don’t compete with anyone. I compete with myself. I always want to be better than I was in the last game and make sure I help the team do well. But as a team we fight together. You know we have not conceded that much because we fight amongst ourselves. We have those positive fights which help the team do well. Our positive fights are those that build the team and we fight together. That’s why we have been doing well, ” Ofori said.
On his chances of going to the World Cup in Qatar with the Ghana national team, the former Maritzburg United goalkeeper said that his focus doesn’t start with the national team but rather with the club.
” I don’t focus on the national team first. My first focus is on my club. I have to make my family, the fans and the club happy first before thinking of the national team. It’s true it’s every young player’s dream to play in the World Cup and I want to be there. But for me to be there with the national team I have to do well for my club first. So for now I am concentrating on helping my club then after that we will see about the World Cup. But of course I want to be there, ” Ofori concluded.