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SOCCER Laduma sources confirmed that Orlando Pirates are still keen on Evans Rusike.
Should the deal go through, Pirates’ top scorer last season Tendai Ndoro would either compete or link up with his compatriot, depending on new coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic’s tactical approach.

Both players spent a similar amount of time  on the pitch last season, with each of them starting 24 games throughout the Absa Premiership campaign.

However, Rusike was used as a left winger at times in a 3-4-3 formation last season. Both players tend to drift out to the left and cut in to take shots.

However, Rusike proved to be marginally better than Ndoro in the air, having won more aerial duels.

Ndoro made more passes than Rusike, with better accuracy and also took more touches in the box, which is likely why he scored three times as many  goals.

The Pirates striker also had a better shot accuracy and conversion rate compared to Rusike, although the Maritzburg man outplayed him in terms of shots outside the box as well as dribbles, also assisting more shots.

To summarise, unlike Ndoro, Rusike did not play in a poaching role and, with the good work that he did outside of the box, it would appear that he is capable of playing alongside his compatriot, rather than in place of him.

Alternatively, Micho could opt to play with two out-and-out strikers.

Whether a deal goes through or not, however, is up to the Buccaneers technical team, but fans shouldn’t expect the Maritzburg man to be a direct replacement for Ndoro. — Soccer Laduma