ORLANDO PIRATES ARE 2025/26 BETWAY PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS
Orlando Pirates ended a 14-year wait for the league title by clinching the 2025/26 Betway Premiership crown when they beat Orbit College 2-0 to lift the coveted piece of silverware at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
A dream campaign finished in glory for the Buccaneers who captured what had been an elusive trophy to complete a domestic treble for the third time in the PSL era. They ended the campaign with a club record 21 league victories in a 30-game season, with the three points earned in the final fixture taking their tally to 69.
On their return to a venue where they had already lifted silverware this season, the Buccaneers faced a high pressure situation as the title race went down to the final match day. Needing nothing less than three points to clinch the title, the intent was clear from the first whistle as they dictated matters from the onset.
Early chances fell to Thalente Mbatha, who drew a comfortable save from goalkeeper Sabelo Nkomo with a shot from a long distance out, as well as Relebohile Mofokeng whose deflected effort from inside the penalty area grazed the upright on its way out. Mbatha’s battle with the Orbit shot-stopper continued into the second quarter as he emerged on the right flank before forcing another save.
The middle period of the first half was characterised by a solid defensive display from the hosts, who absorbed the immense pressure placed on them by the Soweto Giants. It wasn’t without clear opportunities, with the biggest of them spurned by Tshepang Moremi who had done all the hard work in sneaking past the defence to meet a chip from Oswin Appollis only to direct his effort over the bar.
A rare chance fell to Orbit late in the first half as they attacked through their first corner, with striker Lethabo Modimoeng going narrowly wide from close range. That was however not enough to wrestle the momentum as Pirates resumed their dominant spell almost immediately after.
Something had to give, and it took a stroke of luck to get the Buccaneers on the board as the pressure told on Nkomo on the stroke of halftime. The Mswenko Boys shot stopper’s attempt at a clearance from a corner backfired as he punched the ball into his own net with Mbatha breathing down his neck.
It was the bit of luck needed to spur the visitors on further, and they launched another relentless attack on the Orbit defence from the second half restart. It did not take long for their intensity to pay off as they went two goals clear through another own goal, this time from defender Ndumiso Ngiba who crumbled under the pressure brought on by Bucs striker Yanela Mbuthuma as he toed the ball past Nkomo into the net.
Looking to extend their lead, Pirates went in search of their third and came close through Moremi’s right-footed effort which landed wide of the target. Kamogelo Sebelebele was denied shortly after when he went for goal from a tight angle.
Mbuthuma and replacement midfielder Abdoulaye Mariko both went wide as they attempted to alter the scoreline. By then, it was a matter of seeing out the game with the final whistle on the horizon.
The signal for fulltime eventually sounded out, confirming the end of one of the more captivating Premiership title races to date with the Soweto Giants holding their nerve to clinch it on the final day to complete a treble.
Pirates XI: Chaine, Seema, Sibisi, Sebelebele, Ndaba (Hotto 84’), Selepe, Mbatha (Mariko 69’), Mofokeng, Appollis (Dansin 84’), Moremi (Maswanganyi 60’), Mbuthuma (Makgopa 69’).
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