Tapelo Xoki rubbishes claims Pirates ‘got lucky’ in the Nedbank Cup

Orlando Pirates captain Tapelo Xoki has brushed off claims that the Buccaneers have had it easy in the Nedbank Cup.

The Soweto Giants defeated minnows Crystal Lake 6-0 in the round of 32 of the Nedbank Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Having had it easy in the first round, Pirates were drawn with Hungry Lion in the round of 16.

The draw led to some fans calling the Buccaneers lucky as they avoided playing a Premier Soccer League(PSL) team.

Pirates captain Tapelo Xoki, says nothing is given in the Nedbank Cup.

“The results of the tournament have shown that there’s no such thing as luck when Premiership teams play against teams from lower divisions. Yesterday (Sunday) we saw a result where a lower division side (Milford FC) eliminated a big team (Kaizer Chiefs),” the Pirates defender told the media.

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“You can’t say we are lucky because these teams from lower divisions are competitive and that has been proven. You have to give them the respect they deserve. They are in this tournament to win it as anyone else. As Pirates, we treat every game the same. There’s no lucky draw… we only wanted a home draw and luckily we got it.”

Pirates are next in action against Polokwane CIty on Saturday.

The round of 16 Nedbank Cup fixtures are expected to be played towards the end of March.