Simphiwe Selepe eyes improvement after first goal for Orlando Pirates senior team

The 20-year-old midfielder, who was promoted to the first team by former coach Jose Riveiro, played a pivotal role in helping the Buccaneers secure a point after falling behind to an unfortunate own goal by Patrick Maswanganyi.

Reflecting on the encounter, Selepe admitted that Pirates were forced out of their comfort zone by a dominant Usuthu side.

"In the first half, we created chances but couldn't convert. It was a scrappy game because they controlled possession more, and we ended up chasing second balls - which isn't really how we like to play," Selepe explained.

The talented youngster, however, made his mark by scoring his first senior goal for the club-an important equaliser that rescued a draw. Despite his personal milestone, Selepe believes the team must make improvements ahead of their final match of the season against Magesi FC at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.

"I'm very happy to have scored and helped the team get back into the game. We would have preferred a better result, but there's still a lot we can fix going into the next game," he added.

Selepe, who made his debut in the 2-1 Soweto derby victory over Kaizer Chiefs earlier this month, continues to show promise as one of the club's future stars.