Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela has reacted to hoisting his first silverware as the skipper of the club. The Buccaneers won the MTN8 after thumping AmaZulu 1-0 this past weekend at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Maela, who joined Pirates in 2017, was part of the team that won the MNT8 competition under the guidance of Josef Zinnbauer in 2020, described winning the trophy as a captain of the club a “dream come true”.
“People who know me, know my story, where I started and the journey that I’ve traveled,” Maela told the journalists after the match.
“For me to get to this moment, it’s a dream come true, I’m extremely happy. But I always maintain that no matter the moment, it’s about the team and not any individual.
“Maybe after my career, I’ll reflect and say ‘ja, I never thought I’d get to that moment’.
“But for now, I’m just happy, especially for the players that are new at the club, and for the players that are winning that silverware [for the first time].
“I think it is more important for them to taste silverware at our club, so they will know that it’s possible and it’ll give us more confidence going forward.”
Pirates have shifted focus to the Carling Black Label Cup, that is set to take place on Saturday at the FNB Stadium, and it’s another opportunity for Maela to add a second trophy under his name as the leader.
