Orlando Pirates news

Both Masandawana and the Sea Robbers have been doing well in the race for the league crown, where they are both on 44 points from the 19 games played so far. Some stakeholders feel this is the time when the Buccaneers can beat the Brazilians to the title and end their decade-long dominance, where they have been crowned eight times in a row.

The former Esperance tactician believes the lack of modern technology in South African top-flight football, which, he insists, has hurt the Brazilians and the other teams. Masandawana are chasing the Premier Soccer League crown for the ninth time in a row, but face stiff competition from leaders Orlando Pirates.

The South African Sports Minister has issued a chilling warning regarding the safety of the Soweto Derby, suggesting the nation’s biggest football fixture is currently a disaster waiting to happen. In the latest Derby the same old issues around access to the stadium, insufficient security and ticketing system failures were all on show once again.

The Sea Robbers had to rely on a late show to overcome a stubborn Rise and Shine outfit, with second-half strikes from Relebohile Mofokeng and Patrick Maswanganyi doing the damage. However, the wet and uneven conditions made life difficult for the Soweto giants, leading Ouaddou to question why a Premier Soccer League fixture was not moved to the modern World Cup venue situated right next door.

The Ghost survived a scare against Rise and Shine in Limpopo but will be happy to go back home with a narrow victory from the match at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday. More importantly for the Soweto giants, they are still at the summit of the Premier Soccer League log.

The Bafana Bafana legend is one of the high-profile coaches from South Africa, having been in charge of Manchester United strikers before. Currently, the former Porto FC star is the head coach of the Kenyan national team, Harambee Stars. Being one of the top-level tacticians, he has been linked with a number of teams, including the two Soweto giants.

The 48-year-old is currently the head coach of the Kenya national team and remains strongly linked with several clubs, including Kaizer Chiefs. He was also touted as a possible successor to Jose Riveiro at Orlando Pirates before the Buccaneers settled for Abdeslam Ouaddou.

There have been questions raised about some decisions made in the South African top tier, some of which have cost teams trophies as well as points. SAFA, alongside the Premier Soccer League management, has been working in conjunction with the government to improve the situation of football in the country.

The PSL has officially confirmed the first set of its Monthly Awards winners for the second half of the season. The Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Orlando Pirates sensation, and Kaizer Chiefs forward have all been recognised for their outstanding contributions during the January–February period.

The Soweto giants are having a nightmare as they continue struggling to get results in competitive outings. Despite the massive signings made in the off-season transfer window, the Glamour Boys are almost guaranteed a trophyless 2025/26 season. They are trailing the league leaders by 11 points following the most recent defeat. And, the club's fans are making their feelings clear about the position Amakhosi find themselves in.

The alarm bells are ringing louder than ever at Naturena as Amakhosi's season is spiralling out of control after a dismal 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Natal Rich Boyz on Tuesday evening. And judging by the game metrics, it was their worst, most sterile performance under their current co-coaches' setup, leading to fans calling for Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef to leave the club.

The Soweto giants entered this encounter under heavy pressure after back-to-back defeats, and their concerns deepened with a pre-match blow as Inacio Miguel was ruled out injured. Amakhosi fans briefly had something to cheer about with Nkanyiso Shinga making his debut, but that optimism was short-lived as he was forced off injured. In the end, the result only added to their growing frustrations.

With Bucs' focus solely on the league title, it means they are expected to go full throttle against their opponents and secure points. The gap at the top is quite slim because the Soweto giants only lead Mamelodi Sundowns by an insignificant goal difference. The midweek clash is another crucial game for the Buccaneers because a win will help them remain in the neck-and-neck title battle, and a loss would see them cede some ground.