Orlando Pirates endured a difficult Saturday afternoon in front of their own fans at Orlando Amstel Arena when Durban City FC held them to a 0-0 draw to delay them from being confirmed as 2025/26 Betway Premiership champions.
Needing maximum points to topple Mamelodi Sundowns from top spot and clinch the PSL title, the Buccaneers fired blanks as they were made to huff and puff by their stubborn visitors. They failed to go level on 68 points with Masandawana and take the lead courtesy of a superior goal difference.
Following a point picked, Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men remain second on the table with two points fewer than Sundowns. That is pressure for them going into their final match of the season against relegation-threatened Orbit College FC next Saturday.
It is a match Pirates need nothing short of victory to end a 14-year wait for the league title and halt Sundowns’ eight-season reign as PSL champions. For Nedbank Cup champions Durban City, they remain in position eight and on course for a top-half finish to participate in the MTN8 next campaign.
Ouaddou has been delayed from claiming his first-ever league title as a manager. His Sundowns counterpart, Miguel Cardoso, will be hoping for a Pirates sensational last-day collapse to avoid becoming the first coach to surrender the league title from Chloorkop after eight years of reigning supreme.
FRUSTRATING AFTERNOON FOR PIRATES AMID SOME STEELY DEFENDING FROM DURBAN CITY
That this was a season-defining match did not deter Auaddou from handing central midfielder Simphiwe Selepe his maiden appearance of the season while sacrificing veteran Makhehlene Makhaula. Evidence Makgopa was dropped to the bench for Yanela Mbuthuma despite scoring last weekend against Magesi FC.
Durban City has Ghanaian goalkeeper Fredrick Asare being trusted to guard the sticks as Darren Keet prepares to retire. Missing from the starting line-up for the visitors were Luphumlo Sifumba and Samkelo Maseko. In came Namibian midfielder Joslin Kamatuka and Kyle Jurgens.
Ouaddou was forced to alter his plans six minutes before halftime when he withdrew Mbuthuma, who limped off with a knee injury, and made way for Makgopa. Some valiant defending by the Nedbank Cup champions kept Pirates at bay on an afternoon they anticipated to walk away as confirmed champions.
Sensing that time was slowly running out, Pirates showed some sense of urgency, and Thalente Mbatha unleashed his trademark powerful shot, but it went just wide five minutes after the breather. Shortly after, Relebohile Mofokeng drew a fine save from Asare with a well-struck free kick.
Oswin Appollis’ acrobatic effort went just over the bar on the hour mark as the Buccaneers continued to probe. Moments later, the winger was back to force a desperate dive from Asare to save an attempt bound for the bottom corner.
The Nedbank champions continued with their spirited defending to keep a clean sheet and boost their own MTN8 ambitions.
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