Orlando Pirates news

The Bucs sensation has been urged to block out the external noise as his reputation continues to skyrocket in the Premier Soccer League. The 21-year-old Buccaneers star has become the talk of South African football following a string of top-drawer performances, earning comparisons to established figures, including Themba Zwane and the recently retired Andile Jali.

When one is at his lowest in life, the family becomes his natural fallback option, but in some other circumstances, one might find himself isolated and with no one to run to. Now, a former Premier Soccer League star has shared an emotional challenge where he alleges betrayal from close relatives. The 35-year-old has said that he battled spiritual issues even when he was playing for the national team.

The 2025/26 Premier Soccer League season is into its final stretch, where teams in South Africa are working hard to realise their objectives set at the beginning of the campaign. Despite failing to get it right, as the supporters anticipated, the Glamour Boys are still expecting to qualify for continental inter-club competitions, but they have been told it will not be a walk in the park, despite having an advantage.

The Buccaneers and Masandawana are locked in a fiercely contested battle for the Premier Soccer League title. The two giants have been pushing each other all the way, refusing to give an inch in a kind of gripping title duel that the league has not witnessed in recent years.

The Sea Robbers' versatile attacker has been in the best form of his professional career, scoring and creating goals at will. In the last two club assignments in the South African top-tier, Rele, as he is commonly referred to, has found the back of the net five times to take his PSL goals tally to nine.

The Soweto giants are in KwaZulu-Natal to face the Natal Rich Boyz, riding the momentum of an impressive run of form in recent matches. The Buccaneers have looked sharp in attack after scoring 11 goals in their last two games. However, their hosts will be eager to spring a major upset and prove they can stand up to one of the league’s in-form sides.

Clubs have in the past suffered for failing to honour agreements with either the technical staff or a member of the playing unit. Another South African top-tier outfit is in black books with the world football governing body for not settling the dues of their former coach, who left a couple of months ago.

The Soweto giants are out to build their terrific momentum, which has seen them score 11 goals in their last two games, when they meet the Natal Rich Boyz at uMhlathuze Stadium on Friday.

The Sea Robbers can't afford to drop any points in their bid to beat the defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, to the 2025/26 Premier Soccer League title. Currently, the Natal Rich Boyz are just two points out of the MTN8 slot, meaning victory on Friday will put them in the bracket. This explains why the fixture is vital for both teams.

The former Richards Bay striker has been one of the players who have enjoyed game time at the Soweto giants. However, he has not scored many goals as anticipated. The forward has not been clinical, something that has attracted criticism from a section of the Sea Robbers faithful who feel he should do more.

The Buccaneers last lifted the Premier Soccer League title in 2012 and now face the daunting task of dethroning Mamelodi Sundowns to end that long wait. In the process, they could add extra sparkle to their campaign by achieving a feat they last managed 21 years ago.

The Buccaneers have been ruthless in attack, as well as defensively solid, in recent South African top-tier matches they have been playing. Currently, the Soweto giants have the best defensive record in Mzansi as well as the best in taking chances, which gives them a massive chance to beat the defending champions to the crown this season.

Discussions are already heating up over who will replace Lucas Ribeiro Costa as the Premier Soccer League’s best player. With the 2025/26 season entering its final stages, the league’s standout performers are starting to pull away from other players. Their impact in the closing weeks could ultimately decide who walks away with the gong.