Orlando Pirates 2-0 Polokwane City: FIVE things we learned

Orlando Pirates kicked off their 2025/26 season with a comprehensive victory over Polokwane City on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Oswin Appollis and Patrick Maswanganyi were enough to seal a 2-0 win for the Buccaneers and seal their spot in the MTN8 semi-finals. Having signed 11 new players, Abdeslam Ouaddou started the match with three new signings and all of them impressed on the day.

The Soweto giants are aiming to win their fourth consecutive MTN8, having won four of the previous five editions.

What have we learned from Orlando Pirates’ win

Abdeslam Ouaddou looks in control

The Moroccan coach took over from Jose Riveiro in July and there were questions on whether he would take the team to the next level. In his first official match in charge, the former TS Galaxy coach looked calm and in control. He selected a strong and balanced team, leaving out the likes of Deano van Rooyen, Evidence Makgopa and Makhehlene Makhaula on the bench.

Oswin Appollis is already feeling at home

It took the Bafana Bafana winger under 20 minutes to find his first goal for Orlando Pirates. The 23-year-old attacker is regarded as the best signing this transfer window and in the 60 minutes he played, he showed why he is valued highly in the PSL.

Relebohile Mofokeng is not at his best

Mofokeng didn’t end the 2024/25 season on a high, having dipped in form towards the end. He looked sharp in pre-season, however against Rise and Shine, he often disappeared. He has been linked to various teams in recent weeks and perhaps his mind is already elsewhere.

New coach loves youngsters

Just like Riveiro, Ouaddou appears to be a fan of introducing youngsters in big games. Late into the match, the Orlando Pirates coach subbed in Cemran Dansin. The 20-year-old made his debut in the final 10 minutes and looked very positive whenever he had the ball at his feet.

The Pirates defence was not tested

The partnership of Mbekezile Mbokazi and Nkosinathi Sibisi was not tested on Saturday. Both looked very comfortable in possession and dealt with long balls with ease. Polokwane City didn’t attack much and when they did, they lacked creativity or combinations, allowing Orlando Pirates to clear any danger.