Orlando Pirates were crowned Carling Knockout champions on Saturday after edging past Marumo Gallants, securing a 1-0 victory to claim a win in the final played at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium.
It was the end of a long wait for League Cup glory for the Buccaneers, who left it until late before producing the decisive touch in a marathon encounter to bag their second trophy in the 2025/26 season. In clinching what had been an elusive title, they defeated a determined Gallants outfit that had claimed a couple of big scalps in their road to the final.
Pirates had gone into their final competitive fixture before the festive season break looking to cap an excellent start to the season with one more piece of silverware added to their cabinet. They were almost gifted the lead three minutes in through a sloppy pass from the Gallants defence, leading to a shot from striker Evidence Makgopa which was cleared off the line. The Buccaneers’ next shot on target came following a patient build-up, with Thalente Mbatha going for goal from range before forcing a save off goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
They maintained control of the game, but were frustrated throughout the first half. None of the shots flying in from Masindi Nemtajela, Relebohile Mofokeng and Lebone Seema found the target midway through the first period, while Makgopa failed to connect with Appollis when he popped up on the flank to deliver a teasing ball down the middle.
The lanky Bucs striker could have pushed his side ahead on the stroke of halftime, but his headed effort from a corner was tipped over the crossbar by Arubi.
There was no end to their frustration in the second period, with the Zimbabwean shot-stopper proving to be a stubborn wall as he denied substitute attacker Tshepang Moremi early on after the restart. Such was the theme of the second half as Pirates remained with nothing to show for their dominance in both possession and territory while Gallants remained resolute at the back.
Late chances from Moremi and replacement striker Yanela Mbuthuma threatened to alter the scorecard late on, but neither player could provide the winner. This meant that an extra 30 minutes would be added on as the initial 90 concluded with the two sides still deadlocked without any goals scored.
The Bucs bench continued to shine in extra time with midfielder Sipho Mbule forcing two saves off Arubi shortly after coming on. The breakthrough however came from a man that had been on since the first whistle in Mofokeng, whose effort from just inside the box created a goalmouth scramble with the ball sneaking past the line to make it 1-0 to the Soweto Giants.
Gallants’ desperate attempts to equalise nearly yielded a goal through Jason Clifford, who volleyed wide from inside the box. However, the bulk of the late chances still remained with the Buccaneers who went close through Mbule when he was denied by Arubi with only minutes remaining on the clock.
All that was left for Pirates in the game’s dying moments was to defend their slim lead and they did so without much of a fuss. They held their nerve to emerge on the winning side, adding a trophy that had eluded them for 14 years to their collection as they concluded the year with one more trophy added to their collection.
Pirates XI: Chaine, Seema, Mbokazi, Lebitso, Ndaba (Hotto 58’), Makhaula (Moremi 46’), Mbatha (Mbule 83’), Nemtajela, Appollis (Dansin 100’), Mofokeng, Makgopa (Mbuthuma 63’).
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.
