Mokwena's journey with the Algerian side has been impressive so far, and they are likely to lift more trophies in his maiden season. Judging by how the journey is going, the South African tactician could have a far more successful season after struggling with Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca. This is the second time that the Premier Soccer League-winning tactician has been praised by an opponent who faced his team.
The Glamour Boys and the Sea Robbers, just like the other Premier Soccer League teams, will have a month or so to strengthen their squads in their bid to achieve the set objectives in the ongoing 2025/26 campaign, both domestically and abroad. While Amakhosi continue rebuilding, the Buccaneers want to sustain their already impressive quality.
The 61-year-old parted ways with the Premier Soccer League newbies, Durban City, a couple of weeks ago after falling out with the management. He has now been given another massive assignment with the Western Cape Province-outfit who have not had a good start to the ongoing 2025/26 campaign. They are currently struggling for consistency.
The tournament is one of the best-attended events in December, drawing spectators from far and wide every year. The tournament in question is one of the oldest in the country, but this year's edition was rocked by a controversial incident that forced one match to be abandoned. This is another incident that has been reported after a football administrator was killed in another annual tournament in Limpopo.
The national team laboured to a narrow win over COSAFA rivals, the Warriors in a closely contested Group B outing staged at the Marrakesh Stadium on Monday evening. It was a massive result for the 1996 winners, who will, potentially, play Cameroon or the defending champions Ivory Coast, in the next phase.
The Buccaneers have made themselves favourites to win the 2025/26 Premier Soccer League title. They currently lead the standings, enjoying a two-point lead at the top with two points ahead of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns. That could see Abdeslam Ouaddou's men breaking Sundowns' stranglehold on the PSL after winning eight straight titles.
The MTN8-winning South Africa international defender has been playing in the Middle East after failing to get a team back at home, but it seems he might soon be heading out to Zimbabwe, where some top names from the Mzansi Premier Soccer League are playing. At 32 years old, the player, who can play any position at the back four, has a couple of seasons at the top.
The Brazilians have been dominating the South African top-flight for a decade, winning nine out of the possible 10 top-tier crowns, with a now-defunct Bidvest Wits the only team to have stopped them from achieving the feat. As a matter of fact, they have won the last eight crowns consecutively, but it seems the Soweto giants are determined to stop them.
The two Amakhosi players have been under stern scrutiny for struggling to show up for some games in big moments when it matters the most for the Soweto giants. But they appear to have little backing from their representative who, however, has been seen fighting in the corner of a Buccaneers star who has been finding it difficult at the ongoing AFCON tournament.
In an attempt to end Young Africans SC's dominance, the Wekundu wa Msimbazi appointed the experienced South African tactician. Barker made his name with the Winelands club, a team he mentored from a second-tier side into the Premier Soccer League. In order to boost their technical bench, the Tanzanian heavyweights are reported to be in talks with the football analyst who is expected to be incorporated into Barker's technical bench.
The Buccaneers playmaker arrived in Morocco with expectations high on him to step in for Themba Zwane who did not make it to the continental football showpiece. But he is yet to reproduce the form that earned him a place in the national team squad doing duty in North Africa. This comes after the coach’s attempts to identify Zwane’s replacement in Patrick Maswanganyi have so far failed.
A former Buccaneers star has ranked South Africa’s young players, sparking a fierce debate among fans. This comes at a time when South African football is experiencing a wave of exciting emerging talent, some of whom have already become key figures in the Bafana Bafana setup. The rise of these players has boosted confidence about the long-term future of the national side.
While the Masandawana faithful have been enjoying a breather, with the Africa Cup of Nations taking centre stage and little to worry about regarding their team, the Buccaneers have headed into the Premier Soccer League break in high spirits. And they will be looking to pick up exactly where they left off and maintain their momentum when league action resumes.
Although the Mzansi football supporters are currently preoccupied by Bafana Bafana's AFCON campaign, back in their minds they wish their clubs will be successful this season. Given what the PSL landscape looks like at the moment, there is a possible neck-to-neck battle for the PSL title between Bucs and Downs. The big question is whether the Soweto giants can finally end Masandawana's dominance after failing to do so in recent seasons.
The Bafana coach has stressed that the young defender is already ripe to test himself in a well-established and developed competition like the leagues in Europe. The experienced tactician was not particularly impressed when the defender completed a move to Major League Soccer just before the AFCON finals began. Giving an example of how Mbokazi played against the Pharaohs, the Belgian insisted his defender needs better competition.
The South African side will be on high alert as they look to fix the lapses that cost them in their last outing, turning their attention to the Warriors on Monday—a side that has repeatedly shown they are tough to break down and never shied away from testing Bafana's resolve in past encounters.
The Premier Soccer League is currently among the best on the African continent, owing to the competitiveness seen and the value. Top and quality players from all over the world have been playing trade in the Mzansi top-flight football, with upcoming players also claiming a piece of the cake thanks to their displays.
A football administrator was killed in an annual tournament held in Limpopo and concluded on Saturday. A coach from the Red Devils was in attendance, where he managed to conduct some football clinics for some clubs and stakeholders in the Province of Limpopo, hoping to see the game in the region improve.
The striker's contract with his current club is understood to be ending when the ongoing season concludes. He has been linked with a number of Premier Soccer League sides, including the Buccaneers, who need a prolific forward to help them chase more trophies. The AFCON star has been linked with the Sea Robbers at a time when there is more speculation on Tshegofatso Mabasa, who has fallen down the pecking order.
In a bid to stabilise the boat rocked by inconsistency in their ongoing Premier Soccer League season, the club have made a wide range of changes. The club have brought on board key figures that are experienced in top-flight football, hoping their arrival will give them the positive results they are yearning for. The newly appointed figures have enough time to strategise and come up with a working plan before the season resumes after the AFCON break.
Hugo Broos' men were unable to stop the Pharaohs on Friday at Adrar Stadium in Agadir in the Group B outing. It wasn't what the supporters expected as they saw their team struggle against the seven-time champions, who played the entire second half with a man less. It put Mzansi in an awkward position ahead of the date with the Warriors.
The second Group B showdown between the Pharaohs and South Africa delivered drama from the first whistle on Friday, December 26. While Egypt’s narrow 1-0 victory dominated the headlines, the match left more questions than answers, with contentious decisions sparking debate and demanding closer inspection long after the final whistle.
The 21-year-old has been recognised just five months after signing for Al Ettifaq from the Buccaneers, underlining the promise he has already shown and hinting at even bigger contributions in the months ahead. The award is a timely reward that could also serve as a major confidence boost at the ongoing AFCON finals, inspiring him to perform at a higher level and emerge as one of the tournament’s standout players.
The Buccaneers are revamping their squad as the PSL transfer window looms, with two players having left the club. The PSL log leaders are also set to bring in a new attacker to reinforce a squad bidding to complete a quadruple this season, after their MTN8 and Carling Knockout success. A rapid attacker was not short of admirers after becoming a free agent following his Bucs exit and GOAL has been exclusively been informed that he has signed a long-term deal at a PSL rival.
The Buccaneers went for this current international break leading the PSL table and relegating Sundowns to second place. The Soweto giants enjoy two points clear at the top, having played a game less than the Brazilians. That gives them a crucial edge ahead of the resumption of league action in January.
The coach is in Morocco, where the Mzansi star has established chemistry with a huge section of the fans who support Wydad Casablanca. Despite the forward's impressive outing with the Moroccan heavyweights, he was snubbed for the AFCON finals. Many believe the 32-year-old is still a national asset, but Broos does not think that is the right position.
Orlando Pirates
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