Orlando Pirates attacking midfielder Linda Mntambo says their recent clean sheets against Jwaneng Galaxy will serve as a big confidence booster ahead of the Caf Confederation Cup group stage.

Mntambo’s goal this past Sunday fired the Buccaneers to a 1-0 win over Botswana champions Galaxy in the playoff-round second-leg match at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Gauteng on Sunday evening.

The Soweto giants walked away as 4-0 winners on aggregate as they knocked their neighbours out of the tournament.

The Sea Robbers have struggled for consistency since the turn of the year and Mntambo feels that their clean sheets in recent games will give confidence to not only the defenders and goalkeepers, but the whole team.

‘Keeping a clean sheet is important. Defending is not only [for] the defenders, the defensive midfielders and goalkeeper, but [we do it] collectively as a team,’ Mntambo told the club’s social-media platforms.

‘We start to defend from the front. Getting a clean sheet gives confidence to the defenders and goalkeeper.

‘They [defenders and goalkeeper] hardly get the recognition they deserve, we as the attackers, we always get the recognition by scoring goals and providing the assists,’ Mntambo continued.

‘But keeping a clean sheet and winning 3-0 away, and now 1-0, boost our confidence going into the group stage.

‘Besides that, we have a good encounter in the league against SuperSport in midweek,’ the former Chippa United playmaker added.

‘We need to recover now and stay focused and look forward to the league game. [The] Confed Cup is now out of the way [for] now [and] the main focus is the league.’

Pirates are currently placed fifth in the league standings – two points behind third-placed Swallows FC.