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IOL News
4 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
It's now or never for Mamelodi Sundowns in CAF Champions League final
TOUGH BATTLE AHEAD Mamelodi Sundowns aim to secure their second CAF Champions League title by overcoming historical odds and drawing inspiration from Orlando Pirates' 1995 comeback. Picture: Itumeleng English/Independent Media Having conceded an away goal in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final, Mamelodi Sundowns will face an uphill battle in the return leg against Pyramids FC in Cairo on Sunday. Last week, Sundowns drew the first leg 1-1 at home at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Now, they will travel to Cairo, knowing only a win or a 2-2 draw will secure their title. Sundowns will hope to emulate the Pirates side of 1995, thanks to the challenging scoreline. In the four two-legged finals involving a South African club that lost the first leg at home, only once has a comeback been pulled off. That, of course, happened 30 years ago when Pirates drew 2-2 at home and then defeated ASEC Mimosa 1-0 away in the return leg.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Mamelodi Sundowns aiming to channel their ‘inner Pirates' in CAF Champions League final
INSPIRATION Mamelodi Sundowns aim to secure their second CAF Champions League title by overcoming historical odds and drawing inspiration from Orlando Pirates' 1995 comeback. Picture: BackpagePiix Mamelodi Sundowns may have the odds stacked against them in the second leg CAF Champions League final against hosts Pyramids FC on Sunday, but they will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Orlando Pirates if they are to win their second title in the competition. Sundowns drew the first leg 1-1 at home at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria last week, and now will make the trip to Cairo knowing only a win or a 2-2 draw will be good enough to be crowned champions. In fact, it's because of the challenging scoreline that Sundowns will hope to emulate the Pirates side of 1995. Previously, in four two-legged finals involving a South African club which failed to win the first leg at home, only once has a comeback been pulled off. That of course came 30 years ago when Pirates drew 2-2 at home and then beat ASEC Mimosa 1-0 away in the return leg.
The South African
6 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Orlando Pirates-Saleng saga reaches new low: It's officially over?
Orlando Pirates legend Lucky Lekgwathi believes the Monnapule Saleng saga played a role in the club's Champions League and Nedbank Cup failure. 'What I think almost ruined things was the Saleng matter,' he said. 'If we didn't have that issue, I think we'd be talking a different story because you'd know we have depth on the left and on the right.' 'Right now, if [Mohau] Nkota isn't playing, I don't know who is supposed to be in that position.' The 27-year-old has caused a string among the Orlando Pirates ranks since disappearing in early December over salary demands the club were unwilling to pay. Saleng hasn't played for the Soweto giants since, prompting speculation of an offseason exit, which seems all but certain. Lekgwathi doesn't see depth as being Orlando Pirates' peril this season, saying, 'I think we have depth in the squad; In previous seasons, I have complained about the number of players in each position, but now you can see it.' 'For example, the defenders, Tapelo [Xoki] came in, he did good, when he's out [Nkosinathi] Sibisi is there, and now [Mbekezeli] Mbokazi is bossing the backline, and we still have the likes of [Olisa] Ndah and [Innocent] Maela on the bench. I think there is competition and a healthy one at that in all the positions. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Maela's finale ends in a draw as Orlando Pirates fail to capture three-point PSL treasure against Magesi FC
Orlando Pirates' season finale and reportedly last game for captain Innocent Maela at the club ended in a 1-1 draw with Magesi FC on Wednesday night. This result meant that Pirates finished second on the Premiership log with 61 points, 12 behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns. It was not the way the Buccaneers would have wanted to finish off the season, especially at their Orlando Stadium home, as a win would have served as a consolation after yet another disappointing campaign. However, this game was a true reflection of Pirates' shortcomings this season as they failed to either consolidate their lead or add to their advantage. When Patrick Maswanganyi broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, expectations were high for Pirates to head into the break with a healthy advantage. This was due to the fact that they took the game to Magesi, using the speed of Mohau Nkota and composure of Relebohile Mofokeng. But it wasn't to be. Instead, Magesi stunned Pirates and punished their wastefulness as Edmore Chirambadare equalised before the break, resulting in the game ending 1-1. The equaliser must have stung for everyone, especially captain Maela, who was said to be making his final appearance for the club. Maela's brother and homeboy Tsepo Masilela and Percy Tau were also in the stands to all but bid farewell to the defender, who had served the club well over the years. The 32-year-old left back couldn't lead his team to a win while on the pitch for 65 minutes, and he was eventually substituted and replaced by youngster Yanga Madida.
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
The rise of Mbekezeli Mbokazi: The 19-year-old Orlando Pirates defender drawing interest from Al Ahly
One for the future Teenage defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi has impressed since breaking into the Orlando Pirates first team this season. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Mbekezi Mbokazi is an insanely talented young defender and it's no surprise that Jose Riveiro is trying to recruit him for Al Ahly. The 19-year-old has recently broken into Orlando Pirates' first team, and has become an important player for his club in just a short time. He was due to be one of the key players for Amajita at the recently completed CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, but was withdrawn at the last minute as Pirates did not want to lose him during an important part of the season. A report on Thursday suggested that Riveiro, who is expected to be announced as Al Ahly's head coach in the coming days, had recommended the teenager to the club as he was keen to continue working with him. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ At just a young age, Mbokazi has all the hallmarks of a top defender. He has an understanding of his position that's second to none. He also excels in aerial duels and physical confrontations. His stature and resilience make him a formidable presence in defence, capable of challenging even the most robust forwards. And we can trust Riveiro's eye for talent. The Spaniard promoted Relebohile Mofokeng into the Pirates first team, as well as Mohau Nkota. The two youngsters have shone for the title challengers, and President yama2000 has become a favourite among fans. Mbokazi is not just hype — he's being identified by coaches with a proven eye for developing talent. Not only did Mbokazi impress the coach, but he has also made a good impression with senior players at the club. Pirates captain Tapelo Xoki had this to say about him a month ago: 'He has made it easy for us to play with him. He listens, he works hard, so we just guide him where we need to. 'We don't want to give him too much on information, but we let him play his game, allow him to make mistakes and cover him when he makes those mistakes. '... Who knows? If he keeps doing the things that he's doing right, and improving where he needs to, he could be the next big thing in this country.' If Mbokazi is allowed to go to the Under-20 World Cup in September, playing alongside the best player at the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Tylon Smith, and directly in front of golden glove winner Fletcher Smythe-Lowe, in that case South Africa should have every reason to be confident of doing well at the tournament. If Mbokazi continues on this trajectory — balancing club commitments with international exposure — he could soon become not just a star for South Africa, but a household name across African and global football. With the right guidance and stage, whether at Orlando Pirates, Al Ahly, or beyond, Mbokazi has the tools to shape the next era of defensive excellence for both club and country. Who knows, we could be watching someone who could go on to eclipse the achievements of the likes of Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, or Aaron Mokoena. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to iolletters@ Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication). Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
