Continental football drives Orebonye to Algeria
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday February 11, 2023 06:00
Despite a fruitful spell in Morocco, Orebonye left OCK with a sour taste. The striker was banned for six months and fined د.إ10,000 [dirhams] (approximately P13,000) by the Moroccan football authority body for spitting on a match official in a league tie played in January.
The suspension was later reduced to a month following the OCK appeal.
Orebonye has since moved on as he joined his new side in training this week. He is said to be available to make his debut on February 20. As he awaits a taste of Algerian football, the striker on Tuesday had his first media interview with USM Alger media. He confirmed that it is continental football that attracted him to the Algerian shores.
USM Alger is in the group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup and they will face Saint Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday. “This is one of the biggest clubs in Africa, they are playing CAF Confederations Cup and it is one of the reasons that I am here. The club is also fighting for the championship and I am happy that I am here to achieve those mandates,” Orebonye said.
The 26-year-old is determined to break into the team, as he is not in Algeria to add numbers. He had made 31 starts in the Moroccan top-flight league and scored seven goals.
“The mandate is to win the championship, to win more trophies. I am hoping that I am not here to add numbers to the team, but help the team to reach the certain goal they have set for themselves. Most importantly, we have to work as a team.
Sometimes it's a bit hard for someone to come in the middle of the season. But where I come from it's more of the same league – the Morocco league and the Algerian league are more of the same league.
So I hope I will adapt very fast and hope for the best to help the team,” Orebonye said.
The striker was said to be a subject of interest from several teams in north Africa and the Middle East before his USM Alger move. He opted for ‘The Union’ because he is familiar with the scenery at OCK.
“For me to be here, well sometime way back I used to watch some games of some clubs in Algeria. Even the coach here once coached in Morocco, so he saw me and when he gave me a chance to come here I did not think twice. I said okay let me go test myself and see if I can deliver. Hopefully, I will produce good results in the team and help the team achieve more goals for the team to reach their mandate, to win trophies and for the supporters to be happy,” Orebonye said.
‘Benteke’ will miss three USM Alger games before he makes his debut. This includes a league tie against RC Arbaâ played on Wednesday and the weekend’s Confederations Cup and a national cup tie against IRB Maghnia on February 17.
The striker is, however, not a stranger to the Omar Hamada Stadium, USM Alger as he played there with the Diamond Zebras during the 2013 African Under-17 Championship.
He joins Zebras’ teammate Gape Mohutsiwa who plays for ASO Chlef in Algeria. Ten Zebras players are currently plying their trade outside the country including Kabelo Seakanyeng (OCK – Morocco’s Botola Pro Ligue), Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (SuperSport United – South Africa’s PSL), Ezekiel Morake (Ethiopian Coffee SC – Ethiopia Premier League), Ronaldo Fortune SCU Heat – National League (USA), Phakedi Manda (O’Connor Knights – Australia Second division), Jovan Nikolic (FK Sindelic Beograd – Serbia Second division), Thabang Mokgadi (FK Australia – Kosovo Second division), Motheo Gabatlhoke (FK Rilingdja – Kosovo second division) and Renei Batlokwa (Concord Rangers – English National League).