Orlando Pirates forward Zakhele Lepasa admits it has been difficult not to play regularly but he is determined to wait for his chance to shine.

The 22-year-old striker was the star man in TS Galaxy’s Nedbank Cup triumph last season as he netted the winning penalty in the final against Kaizer Chiefs.

The forward then returned to his parent club, Pirates, after the historic season with the Rockets hoping to push on to make an impact in the first team.

Lepasa, however, has found himself in a tough battle for a starting berth up front and while he admits that it has been frustrating, he is determined to grab his opportunities.

‘It is easy to lose focus when you are not playing, but the coaches always tell me to stay focused,’ Lepasa told the Daily Sun.

‘It is not easy to be on the bench – we all want to play and we get frustrated if we do not play. But it takes a certain level of maturity to understand that not everyone is going to play.

‘Everyone has their time to shine and at the moment I’m waiting for my time like everyone else. Things are different at Pirates compared to other teams,’ he added.

‘Every day you get to learn something, and I have been enjoying myself since I came back to the club despite the lack of game time,’ he concluded.