Bafana Bafana legend Sibusiso Zuma expects a thrilling finish to the 2025/26 Betway Premiership, predicting a photo-finish unlike previous seasons, where Mamelodi Sundowns clinched the title with games to spare.
Orlando Pirates moved to the top of the Betway Premiership table after thrashing Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 in the Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday. The win left them on 41 points from 18 games, three points clear of Sundowns, who face Sekhukhune United on Sunday at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium at 15h30.
However, Zuma is thrilled by how Pirates, Sekhukhune United and Kaizer Chiefs have staked their challenge this time around.
Third-place Sekhukhune United have 32 points, followed by Chiefs with 30 points. With the season already past its halfway mark, Zuma, who starred for Pirates in the late 90s and Sundowns in 2008, is anticipating a strong finish and the league to be won on the final day.
The legendary Bafana Bafana forward said Sundowns would typically be leading by a big margin at this point in the season. But Pirates, Sekhukhune, and Chiefs have put up a strong fight, refusing to easily back down and making the title race go down to the wire.
BIG TEAMS ARE DROPPING POINTS, SAY ZUMA
“We are really happy that at this stage of the season, we are still talking about a genuine title race. Usually, by now, we’d be counting a 14-point lead for Sundowns or something similar,” Zuma told FARPost.
“I’m thrilled to see both Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs right in the thick of it. The race is wide open, giving other teams a real opportunity to make their move. It’s incredibly exciting for South African fans to see the giants neck and neck like this.
“It feels like we’re heading for a photo finish. It’s so close right now, and with the big teams dropping points, the drama is only shifting up a gear. I think it’s going to be a head-to-head battle right to the end, and we’ll just have to wait and see who comes out on top.”
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