Evidence Makgopa vs Yanela Mbuthuma: who should start for Orlando Pirates in title run-in?

Makgopa played a part unintentionally in the second goal, netted by Patrick Maswanganyi, when he jumped to contest a cross alongside Stellenbosch keeper Sage Stephens, and both failed to connect as the ball ended up in the goal.

This marked Makgopas initial start in nearly two months, following a period where Yanela Mbuthuma took precedence, which caught many off guard, including Bafana Bafana manager Hugo Broos.

Broos plans to include Makgopa in the 2026 World Cup squad and hopes this goal sparks a sequence of appearances in Pirates remaining three matches to maintain his form.

Each operates as a classic number nine forward, focusing on retaining possession and involving teammates, though Mbuthuma might possess greater agility, while Makgopa excels aerially.

Therefore, which one shows superior statistics this term? Here is a breakdown.

Goals netted across all tournaments this term

Makgopa: 7

Mbuthuma: 8

Mbuthuma holds a slight advantage with one extra goal over Makgopa in every competition this year, yet the margin remains minimal. Regarding the domestic league, crucial for Pirates at present, Makgopa has tallied six against Mbuthumas five. The pair have appeared in 21 fixtures apiece. Mbuthumas additional three strikes occurred in the CAF Champions League.

Assists provided across all tournaments this term

Makgopa: 3

Mbuthuma: 3

They stand equal on three assists apiece, although Makgopa might argue for one from the Stellenbosch encounter since he clearly distracted Stephens. All his assists stem from league action, whereas Mbuthuma has two in the Betway Premiership plus one in the Nedbank Cup.

Minutes on the field across all tournaments this term

Makgopa: 1,352

Mbuthuma: 1,503

Mbuthuma has logged more playing time than Makgopa overall, encompassing league matches too. He has begun 13 Premiership outings and substituted in eight, compared to Makgopas 10 starts and 11 bench roles. Mbuthuma boasts 151 additional minutes this campaign.

Minutes required per goal across all tournaments this term

Makgopa: 193

Mbuthuma: 188

Mbuthuma holds a slim lead here, though the gap is tight. He finds the net once every 188 minutes played this season, with Makgopa at every 193 minutes. That said, narrowing to league fixtures alone, Makgopa performs notably stronger, a priority for The Ghost in the coming period. His league goals arrive every 156 minutes, versus Mbuthumas 221 minutes, highlighting a significant disparity.