“I imagined us being number one” - Saleng explains how Bucs lost title to Sundowns

Orlando Pirates attacker Monnapule Saleng has explained where he believes Pirates lost out to Mamelodi Sundowns in the race for the DStv Premiership title.

The Brazilians were crowned DStv Premiership champions at the end of March, with seven games to play following an impressive campaign.

Pirates, who currently sit third on the log table, looked like genuine contenders at various points of the season, particularly after successfully unseating Sundowns from the MTN8 throne in a run that included a memorable victory against the Brazilians at the quarter-final stages.

However, the Sea Robbers' results were often erratic and were not enough match a record-setting Sundowns side.

Saleng, who has contributed 14 goals and five assists in 23 appearances, believes injuries to some of the team's regulars at different points of the season ultimately cost them the title.

"This season, I imagined us at the top [of the league]," Saleng told PiratesTV.

"The way we started the season, I saw us going to number one. So, eish I don't know, I think the injuries to some of our players is what cost us. The likes of [Vincent] Pule, [Thembinkosi] Lorch, even [Thabang] Monare.

"I think those injuries are what cost us because we were building momentum then they got injured. So then the coach had to start at the bottom.

"Some of us had not played for a long time and to bring us in is whole other process that not simple.

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Pirates have now turned their attention to a second-place finish that will grant them a spot in the CAF Champions League.

"But we fought a good fight [for the title]. For now I hope we can finish second, we're are fighting for position two so we can got to CAF [Champions League] and that we fight for the Nedbank Cup. That would be a great season for us.

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