Orlando Pirates have been tipped to hit Mamelodi Sundowns off their high horse and end a 15-year PSL title drought after last tasting league success back in 2012. Abdeslam Ouaddou is the man given this mammoth task to derail Sundowns and to deliver the biggest trophy in South African football.
The Soweto giants, fresh off their MTN8 triumph, have rewritten the history books after defeating Stellenbosch 3-0 at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday to secure their fourth title in succession and Ouaddou’s first piece of silverware since assuming his role as the Buccaneers head coach.
It took until extra time for the Sea Robbers to take full control of proceedings as Tshepang Moremi scored a brace and Tshegofatso Mabasa put the finishing touch to a well-orchestrated move by none other than Relebohile Mofokeng.
Having been crowned 2025 MTN8 champions means it’s Pirates’ 14th MTN8 crown, leaving them second on the list for the most successful club of the tournament and one title behind Kaizer Chiefs, who are the most successful with 15 titles to their name.
Mpumi Khoza, the Buccaneers’ club director, whose father is Irvin Khoza, feels that after dominating the MTN8, they should put added focus on winning the PSL title, especially after bringing in some of the country’s best talents during the transfer window and adding depth to an already quality squad.
“When we went on preseason, which our chairman [Irvin Khoza] initially took, it was as if it was a shot in the dark, but he invested in it, and we are thankful that it pays off in tournaments like this,” said Khoza on SuperSport TV.
“We hope that when we go on to the league, our things will have time to settle and come together.
“I think, as our chairman (Irvin) has already said to us, that our job is always to improve the history of Orlando Pirates.”
It will be no easy task to end Mamelodi Sundowns’ dominance in the PSL, which has seen the Brazilians lift the league title for the last eight seasons in a row. Miguel Cardoso’s men find themselves at the summit of the table unbeaten, having played an extra game after their comfortable 3-0 victory over Magesi.
For Pirates, the question will be whether they have the mental strength to overcome any hurdles or setbacks that come before them and whether they have the resilience to maintain their consistency throughout the busy schedule, which will ultimately determine their title credentials, given they have finished runners-up to Sundowns for the past three seasons.
Furthermore, their biggest rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, have had a strong start, and one of the three teams yet to taste defeat this season will pose a serious challenge as they appear to have found their rhythm and look dangerous at this early stage.
Next up, Orlando Pirates will be in CAF Champions League action on Saturday, 20 September, when they face Lesotho’s reigning league champions Lioli FC in the first leg of the preliminary rounds. Coach Ouaddou must prioritize maximum points to come back with the advantage ahead of their second leg.