Orlando Pirates’ first Betway Premiership match of 2025 is a high-stakes midweek clash away to Cape Town City. The action gets underway at DHL Stadium on Wednesday night as fixtures continue to roll in rapidly.
With the first third of the league campaign completed, the Buccaneers are on a mission to continue what has been a bright start to the season. They visit a side seeking a fresh start after stuttering along throughout the first part of the campaign.
Form Guide
Following a successful cup outing in the CAF Champions League, it’s back to the pursuit of league points for the Buccaneers while their hosts look to make it two wins in as many matches against the two Soweto Giants, having conquered one over the weekend.
City’s 1-0 win against Kaizer Chiefs was only their second in their last five league fixtures, with the other three games finishing in defeat. They are now 11th in the standings with 14 points earned in 11 matches.
Despite what could be seen as an underwhelming record overall, the men from the Cape have proven formidable on home turf, where they have collected the vast majority of their points haul. In five league matches at DHL Stadium, they have emerged victorious on three occasions, only dropping points through a stalemate against Magesi and a 1-0 defeat to AmaZulu.
While the hosts boast a positive home record, they have achieved it without a flurry of goals at both ends, securing each of their wins with a 1-0 scoreline while only conceding once across the five games. They are now tasked with containing a free-scoring Bucs side fresh off three straight wins that have yielded an impressive 12 goals.
Most of these came in one fixture – a 8-1 routing of Marumo Gallants in a league game at Orlando Stadium. This was followed by a handy 1-0 win away to Magesi, while their most recent outing was in the Champions League where they produced a clinical display to defeat Ivorian outfit Stade d’Abidjan 3-0 at home.
Pirates remain in second place in the league standings, unbeaten on the road, and boasting a near-perfect run in their last five matches, only blemished by a home defeat to Stellenbosch.
Team News
There could be a few tweaks across both camps following the weekend’s action. Midfielder Makhehleni Makhaula is a certain absentee from the Pirates travelling party as he is suspended for the match. This is after picking up a caution against Magesi – his fourth of the season – which triggered a one-match ban.
City meanwhile have to navigate another fixture without a couple of key players as ex-Bucs midfielder Fortune Makaringe and new signing Carlinhos continue to recover from injuries that have kept both players out for a lengthy period.
Key Players
Tshegofatso Mabasa (Orlando Pirates): The 27-year-old will be keen to replicate the goal-scoring feats of the previous year after finding the net 20 times in all competitions on his return from loan. High in confidence following a hat-trick in his last league appearance, Mabasa’s movement inside the box and ruthlessness in front of goal make him a daunting proposition for the opposition defence.
Prins Tjiueza (Cape Town City): For a City outfit that has not really racked up the goals so far in the campaign, the Namibian international has been one of the brightest sparks up front. Capable of operating in various positions on attack, Tjiueza’s energy and ability to finish off opportunities will no doubt be key on Wednesday night.
Head-to-Head
Pirates travel down to the coast amid an excellent run of results against City in both league and cup football. They defeated them over two legs in the MTN8 semifinals, winning 3-1 on aggregate.
Those cup results took the unbeaten streak to five matches, following three straight league wins which include a double in the 2022/23 season. The Citizens, on the other hand, last defeated the Buccaneers halfway through the previous campaign when they completed a spirited comeback to win 2-1 after Deon Hotto’s 21st minute opener.
It’s the Soweto Giants who lead in terms of head-to-head results in the league with five wins in the 16 matches played while the Capetonians currently boast three victories. However, only one of Pirates’ triumphs has come in the Cape, where the home side has emerged on the winning side three times with four matches finishing level.
TV Coverage and Ticket Info
The fixture is scheduled to kick off at 19:30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL. You can also follow the action by keeping an eye on live updates posted across Orlando Pirates social media channels.
Tickets are available online at TicketPro as well as selected outlets nationwide.
