Orlando Pirates defender Tapelo Xoki expressed his disbelief at the last 20 minutes of their match against Stellenbosch FC, labelling it a moment of chaos that he hopes will not be repeated.

In their final DStv Premiership game of the year, Orlando Pirates, initially leading Stellenbosch 2-0, suffered a setback as Stellies managed to score three goals in the last 20 minutes of the match at the Orlando Stadium on Friday.

Xoki, who scored early in the game from the penalty spot, and witnessed Evidence Makgopa extending the lead, admitted that the team faltered in the latter part of the match, allowing Stellenbosch to make a comeback. The Maroons conceded goals from Iqraam Rayners in the 69th minute, Devin Titus leveling the score, and Andre de Jong sealing the victory for the Carling Black Label Knockout champions.

Xoki found it hard to digest the loss and expressed the hope that the team will learn from this experience, putting it behind them and coming back stronger in the new year.

“I have no words for this one. It is very disappointing from us, and we have to take accountability for the results and the performance in the second half. I think we had a very good first half; it was a moment of craziness in the last 20 minutes, and they punished us,” said the Bucs defender.

Xoki acknowledged that at this level of play, the team cannot afford to perform the way they did in those critical stages where Stellenbosch dominated and scored three goals.

Despite the unfortunate end to the year, Xoki emphasized the need for the team to bounce back and expressed his heartfelt apology to Orlando Pirates supporters, the club, stakeholders, and the technical team. He concluded by stating that the team will pick themselves up from this setback.

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