Orlando Pirates news

Masandawana are the only team from Mzansi in the ongoing CAF inter-club competition following the elimination of the Glamour Boys, the Sea Robbers, and Stellenbosch. The Brazilians will reap big, as confirmed by the organisers, but they should go all the way and bring the most coveted trophy home. Last season, they reached the final but fell to Pyramids.

In what could infuriate the Amakhosi fan base again, the national team head coach has not named a single player from the club. However, the Sea Robbers enjoy a high representation, followed by their close Premier Soccer League rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns. Thembinkosi Lorch, who has enjoyed an impressive run, has not been called up again.

Over the years, some high-profile strikers have come out of Mzansi, but recently, the upcoming ones have struggled to reach the standards set by their predecessors. As Hugo Broos looks forward to naming his World Cup squad, he should be scratching his head on whether the available centre-forwards will deliver. Before then, though, a retired striker has shared lessons for the current crop.

Referees play critical roles in any football competitions but are always on the verge of a severe dressing-down if they make decisions considered biased. The coaches have always expressed their dissatisfaction openly when they feel decisions made were against their teams. Although freedom of expression is allowed, an experienced tactician has cautined his colleagues against public condemnation of the match officials.

The Masandawana chairman has embraced the Downs-Pirates rivalry, revealing that the heated battle in the Premier Soccer League has also fired up their Champions League ambitions. The two teams have been swapping the top spot in the league almost with every kick of the ball in recent weeks and the title race looks like going down to the wire.

The dream of lifting silverware for Usuthu may be over, but for the ambitious coach ‘10111’, as he’s affectionately known by the fans, there’s still one last mission to cement the club’s name among the elite.

The former Amakhosi star has raised fresh doubts about the club’s chances of qualifying for MTN8 following their recent dip in league form. The Naturena-based club have lost their last three league matches, a disappointing run that has dashed their hopes of the league title. The slump has allowed newcomers Durban City to leapfrog them into fourth place, while AmaZulu sit fifth with a one-point advantage over the Glamour Boys.

The former AmaKhosi goalkeeper has opened up on the transformative impact he and the late Orlando Pirates goal-minder had on local football, claiming the pair helped make goalkeeping 'fashionable' in the country. Both shot-stoppers rose through the ranks of the nation’s fiercest rivals, the Soweto giants, and shared a bond that went beyond club loyalties.

The Brazilians are the only PSL side still in CAF inter-club competitions this season. That means Masandawana will be trying to strike a balance between their continental ambitions and equally demanding domestic duties. Their workload becomes even heavier as they remain locked in a fierce Premier Soccer League title race with Orlando Pirates.

Although they are trailing league leaders by far, Amakhosi managed to end a long winless run courtesy of a late goal. Meanwhile, the Sea Robbers suffered a defeat on Saturday, and the result allowed Masandawana to close in on them. Now, Bucs only lead courtesy of a superior goal difference as the league momentum is at a high speed.

As the Amakhosi boat struggles to stabilise, blame games have been the order of the day. The coaches, the players and the management have all been blamed for a poor run that has seen the club lose four consecutive games across all competitions. As the season enters a decisive stretch, the Glamour Boys are fighting internal and external pressure as their traditional rivals focus on winning titles.

The 20-year-old started his third Major League Soccer match in a row and played well in keeping a clean sheet for his club. However, the centre back will have sleepless nights over a late chance that would have secured victory for his side.

Although the Soweto giants are considered part of the country's Big Three, their trajectories have been different. Bucs continue to challenge for honours, while Amakhosi are a pale shadow of their former selves. In fact, this season, the Sea Robbers are champions of two domestic competitions, while Amakhosi were eliminated from a contest they were the defending champions of, the Nedbank Cup.