Orlando Pirates players only had two days to celebrate the MTN8 after beating Stellenbosch FC 3-1 last weekend. Bigger business has been announced.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW

After taking place in Cairo on Monday, the CAF Champions League Group Stage/Last 16 draw placed Orlando Pirates Group C with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Algeria’s CR Belouizdad and Stade D’Abidjan of Ivory Coast.

MTN8 GLORY

In addition to setting a record with three straight MTN8 titles, the Orlando Pirates under Jose Riveiro won a fifth championship in three seasons.

“After a thrilling encounter on Saturday night at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Orlando Pirates produced a remarkable come-from-behind win to defeat Stellenbosch 3-1 in the 2024 MTN8 final,” the club said on their website.

After raising the coveted trophy in 2022 and 2023, they became the first team to successfully defend their championship twice in the competition with their win. The reigning champs had to rally from an early deficit in the match, and it was a great display of their character.

“This was after a nervy start to the contest where they had to see off a determined effort from the men from the Winelands. Before making a few runs up field, the Pirates had to weather some early scares from their opponents, but they were unable to have much of an impact on the scoreboard.

The visitors’ attempts to break through the Bucs defensive third were also unsuccessful due to the attentive play of the back four, which included crucial stops from Thabiso Sesane and Innocent Maela early on.

The Soweto Giants’ inability to clear their lines from a set piece allowed Lehlohonolo Mojela to break the tie with an incredible close-range shot in the 14th minute, leaving the Buccaneers unable to control the lads from the Winelands. This spurred the Pirates into action, as keeper Sage Stephens blocked attempts from Patrick Maswanganyi and Thabiso Monyane as they attempted to equalize.

In the thirty-first minute, Ibraheem Jabaar took a low shot from the edge of the box, and Sipho Chaine was called upon to deal with it. The Bucs’ goalkeeper demonstrated his ability to deny the visitors from doubling their lead by swooping low to his right.

The hosts continued to be aggressive, frequently penetrating opposition territory without posing a serious threat to the visitors’ lead. This was before Maswanganyi was fouled outside the box three minutes before the half.

“Deon Hotto’s attempt from the set piece penetrated the defense wall, but it was unable to get beyond Stephens’s outstretched arm. Just before the half, the shot-stopper’s parry was only met with success with Monnapule Saleng, who leveled the score with a brilliant play off the rebound.

“The Namibian international began the second half in the same manner that he concluded the first, with Stephens deflecting his close-range attempt onto the upright after the hosts caught their opponents off guard with a set piece. At the other end, Chaine also had to step in to block a shot from Fawaaz Basadien.

In a last-ditch effort to keep the Buccaneers from going into extra time, Stephens stopped Kabelo Dlamini’s boot after Relebohile Mofokeng was denied from close range late in the game. It seemed like another half-hour was in the cards because the Stellies defense was holding strong. This lasted until injury time, when another moment of distraction on the part of the visitors gave substitute striker Tshegofatso Mabasa the opportunity to put the Buccaneers ahead for the first time in the game with a shot.

“Pirates immediately increased Stellenbosch’s suffering as they secured the victory with their third goal, which was scored by Mofokeng, whose deft footwork inside the area gave him a clear opportunity to score after the defense was breached. The Buccaneers, who having overcome an early deficit to capture their 13th championship in Top-Eight play, were deserving of the victory.

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