Latest news with #NedbankCupFinal2025
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Nabi breathes sigh of relief as Chiefs end decade-long drought with Nedbank Cup win
Yusuf Maart Kaizer Chiefs captain Yusuf Maart celebrates after scoring what turned out to be the winning goal against Orlando Pirates. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Nasreddine Nabi says lifting the Nedbank Cup with Kaizer Chiefs may have bought him time to prove he's the right man to lead the club beyond this season. The Tunisian tactician guided Amakhosi to a dramatic 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Orlando Pirates at a sold-out Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon, ending the club's painful 10-year wait for silverware. 'My first objective for the club is to place Kaizer Chiefs back in its natural position,' he said at the post match press conference. 'I'm happy for this trophy because it is going to help me continue my process, and it is going to give the fans a lot more confidence in this project,' Nabi said. Gaston Sirino put Chiefs ahead from the spot before Evidence Makgopa equalised shortly after for the Buccaneers. But it was skipper Yusuf Maart who sealed the win late on – a symbolic goal from a player whose leadership has been under scrutiny all season. Picture of The Year 🇿🇦 ♥️ Coach Nasreddin Nabi #NedbankCupFinal2025 The Glamour Boy — IG:Joy-Zelda (@joy_zelda) May 10, 2025 Despite securing a first major title since 2015, doubts over Nabi's future remain, with Chiefs still at risk of missing out on the top eight. But the coach pointed to the journey of their Soweto rivals as a lesson in patience and rebuilding. 'Orlando Pirates understood how important it is to build your team. If you looked at how they played today and how they played last season, you would realise that they are a completely different team,' he said. 'That means, sometimes, you don't want to get things right away, you need to give time to rebuild and to allow yourself to suffer and to rebuild to be better.' Crucial to that win were the changes made in the second half, with substitutes like Mduduzi Shabalala adding spark and composure when it mattered most. 'We started well in the second half, but we believe that the changes we made with Mthetwa, du Preez, and Shabalala gave us more energy and more balance to get back into the game, and to establish more control in the game. 'It's been a tough ten years, and you could see that everyone wanted to win it so bad,' he added. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Another bold call from Nabi came in goal, where Brandon Petersen replaced Bruce Bvuma – a move many questioned but one that paid off. 'Brandon Petersen, we noticed that there was extreme pressure on Bruce in these last few weeks, we believe it was inhumane pressure on him. 'we didn't just want to protect him but we noticed the other two keepers are almost the same level but Brandon has been training tremendously well with Ilyez Mzoughi,' Nabi explained. 'Don't think for one minute it was an easy decision because it could have gone either way, had he conceded, people would have asked why did you change in the final. 'But our goalkeeper coach was confident that what he's put in, the work with Petersen can help us. In the 90 minutes, he proved that it was an excellent bet.' Petersen has featured 47 times for Chiefs, with 17 clean sheets and 46 goals conceded since joining the club from the now-defunct Bivdest Wits back in July 2021.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Jose Riveiro left frustrated as Chiefs end Pirates' Nedbank Cup reign
ORLANDO Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has congratulated Kaizer Chiefs on the Nedbank Cup victory. | BackpagePix Image: BACKPAGEPIX Jose Riveiro cut a calm but clearly disappointed figure as Kaizer Chiefs shattered Orlando Pirates' Nedbank Cup dominance with a 2-1 win at a sold-out Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Spaniard, who has won five trophies in three years, suffered his first-ever defeat in this competition since arriving in South Africa in 2022. More importantly, Pirates were denied the chance to win the Nedbank Cup for a third consecutive time. 'It was an ugly match, there was not so much football from both sides. We were fighting the elements, and the game was affected quite heavily by the penalty,' Riveiro said. Chiefs were awarded a soft early penalty when Pule Mmodi went down under Deano Van Rooyen's challenge. Gaston Sirino converted from the spot to give Amakhosi the lead. Pirates responded through Evidence Makgopa before halftime to draw level and briefly take control of the game. 'We had to come back again. And we managed to do it,' Riveiro said. Congratulations Khosi Nation!✌🏽🏆 Kaizer Chiefs finally end their 10-year wait for silverware, defeating fierce rivals Orlando Pirates to lift the 2025 #NedbankCup !🏆#GovZAUpdates #NedbankCupFinal2025 — South African Government (@GovernmentZA) May 10, 2025 'In the first half we were territorially superior, we only had some problems with Mmodi, everything else was under control. 'We had an opportunity to score a second, with one action of Rele in the box. But we were not rewarded with a penalty.' Riveiro lamented the lack of rhythm in the second half as the final became increasingly scrappy and physical. 'In the second half the game was even more ugly, more physical, with more interruptions,' he said. 'In the last 20 minutes both sides with substitutes made the game a bit more open. 'And in that moment they scored the second goal. It was impossible for us to generate enough in the last ten minutes.' That winner came via Yusuf Maart, whose powerful strike from the edge of the box restored Chiefs' lead and secured their first piece of silverware since 2015. Riveiro's impressive cup run ended with two Nedbank titles and three MTN8 trophies, but no fairytale ending in what could have been a perfect send-off. Thousands of supporters gathered at a fan park at the Durban beachfront to watch the Nedbank Cup final between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. 📷: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers#NedbankCupFinal #OrlandoPirates #KaizerChiefs — IOL News (@IOL) May 10, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'Sorry to our players, to our fans, it's one more final, we could not make it this time but we will be back,' said the Pirates coach. 'There's no last dance, there's a game on Tuesday that we have to win.' Riveiro was referring to their final league fixture of the Betway Premiership season, where Pirates are looking to seal a CAF Champions League spot. Saturday's result ended a five-match winning streak in Soweto Derbies under his leadership and also stopped Pirates from completing a clean sweep of domestic cups this season. 'Congratulations to Chiefs for the trophy, and that's it,' he concluded. For Riveiro, the mission now is to finish strong before officially calling time on a tenure that re-established Pirates as cup specialists—and ensured they were no longer just watching from the shadows. The trophy slipped away this time, but the Buccaneers still have something left to fight for.
IOL News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Amakhosi for Life! Kaizer Chiefs end trophy drought to beat Orlando Pirates and win Nedbank Cup final
Yusuf Maart Kaizer Chiefs captain Yusuf Maart celebrates after scoring what turned out to be the winning goal against Orlando Pirates. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Kaizer Chiefs ended their 10-year trophy drought with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. The sold-out Soweto Derby delivered on drama and intensity, but it was Amakhosi who walked away with silverware for the first time since 2015 – and at the expense of their fiercest rivals. Chiefs were handed the perfect start when they were awarded a penalty inside 15 minutes. Pule Mmodi was brought down by Deano van Rooyen, and veteran Gaston Sirino stepped up to convert from the spot in the 16th minute. Pirates hit back almost immediately. Bafana Bafana striker Evidence Makgopa, who scored in last week's league derby, rose unmarked at the far post to head home a 23rd-minute equaliser from a well-delivered free-kick. The match seemed to be settling into a familiar rhythm when Yusuf Maart, the much-maligned Chiefs midfielder, turned hero. He struck the decisive goal in the 80th minute – reacting quickly in the box to steer the ball past Sipho Chaine. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ It was a moment of redemption for Maart and a turning point in a final that had hung in the balance for long stretches. Pirates had gone into the match as favourites. They were chasing a third straight Nedbank Cup crown, and had won the last five meetings against Chiefs, including a league double this season. But Chiefs arrived in Durban with something to prove. No true Kaizer Chiefs fan will pass this tweet without appreciating Maart, what a goal 🔥🔥#NedbankCupFinal2025 #Amakhosi4Life — k2 (@TalkLessers) May 10, 2025 Coach Nasreddine Nabi made bold changes, including a start for third-choice goalkeeper Brandon Petersen and the return of vice-captain Inacio Miguel after injury. The first half was played at a high tempo. After the early flurry of goals, Pirates looked to take control. Patrick Maswanganyi missed a good chance from a Relebohile Mofokeng cross, while Mohau Nkota forced a sharp save from Petersen at the near post. Chiefs weathered the pressure and started the second half with renewed purpose. The midfield trio of Maart, Thabo Cele and Siyethemba Sithebe began to assert themselves, while the backline remained composed. Miguel's leadership at the back proved crucial. His reading of the game and calm presence allowed Chiefs to absorb pressure and play on the break. As the game edged towards extra time, it was Chiefs who found the extra gear. The move leading to Maart's goal was a rare moment of fluidity, but it was enough to secure the win. Pirates threw numbers forward in the closing minutes, but their efforts were repelled by a determined Amakhosi defence.
