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Wounded Pirates seek redemption against Magesi

rugby27 October 2025 09:50| © Backpage TXT
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Orlando Pirates © Gallo Images

Orlando Pirates will be determined to redeem themselves when they play host to Magesi FC in the Carling Knockout quarterfinal match at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday.

Kick-off is 7:30 pm CAT.

CURRENT FORM

The Buccaneers are a wounded lion after being eliminated from the CAF Champions League, having lost 5-4 on penalties to DR Congo's Saint Eloi Lupopo on Saturday following a 3-3 draw on aggregate. However, Bucs are undefeated in their last two matches in regulation time across all competitions after thrashing Lupopo 3-0 at the Orlando Stadium.

The Carling Knockout trophy is the one domestic major title that has proved to be elusive for Pirates as they have won the League Cup once since its inception in 1982, clinching it in 2011 as the Telkom Knockout. The Soweto giants won this season's MTN8 and they are looking to complete a cup double by going all the way and clinching the Carling Knockout after defeating Siwelele FC in the Round of 16.

Meanwhile, Magesi are an improving team as they are undefeated in their last two matches across all competitions, after claiming a 2-1 victory over TS Galaxy on 18 October in the Betway Premiership. Before that, the Limpopo side had secured a 3-2 victory over AmaZulu FC in the Carling Knockout Round of 16.

Dikwena Tsa Meetse are the defending Carling Knockout champions, having eliminated Pirates in the Round of 16 en-route to lifting the trophy last season, defying all odds in the process. Magesi are now hoping to become the first team to win back-to-back league cups since 2010, when Kaizer Chiefs successfully defended the crown.

TEAM NEWS

Orlando Pirates have no suspension concerns, but the likes of Selaelo Rasebotja, Makhehlene Makhaula and Thabiso Sesane are still busy with injury rehabilitation. However, Bucs duo Evidence Makgopa and Thalente Mbatha are expected to return to the matchday squad after being rested against Saint Eloi Lupopo.

 

 

Magesi, on the other hand, saw their captain, Elvis Chipezeze, pick up an injury during the game against TS Galaxy, but coach John Maduka has since stated that it is not serious. Furthermore, Dikwena Tsa Meetse also do not have any suspension worries coming into the cup encounter.

WHAT WAS SAID?

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou

"We’ve got to keep on working because we have a lot of challenges this season. When you are supporting Orlando Pirates and you love the club, there are a lot of expectations from the fans, and they can be disappointed,” Ouaddou said.

“But at the same time, I think they’ve seen how the boys have been fighting since the first minute and how they deal with the game. The football team that they have proposed today [Saturday against Lupopo] can have some trust and confidence in the future.

“Of course, I can understand their [fans’] disappointment [after the Champions League exit] because everybody wanted us to go through; we did our best, and the best team didn’t go through to the next stage.”

Magesi FC head coach John Maduka

“It’s gonna be tough, I was not there [last year when they met]. It’s gonna be tough but these are cup games, anything can happen. We’ve done that before and last season, we did that, the team did that," Maduka said.

“They went past Orlando Pirates. We know that this time it’s not going to be easy because they know that the last time this team played them, it did well. Every opponent is difficult, even if we got any other team, not Pirates, it would have been very, very difficult.

“Maybe on this one, we can say the pressure is on Pirates because when you play these games, everyone expects Pirates to win. They have played [ten] games and won them all. The pressure is on them and because of that, maybe this is the game where it will be easy for us to do well.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tshepang Moremi, Orlando Pirates: The in-form winger could be the player to fire the Buccaneers to the semifinals, having netted his sixth goal of the season against Polokwane City last week and it also earned Bucs a victory in the Betway Premiership.

Nkanyiso Zungu, Magesi FC: The ex-Pirates midfielder will be looking to haunt his former employers after producing a Man of the Match display against TS Galaxy in a game in which he grabbed an assist and his creativity could be key to a Dikwena Tsa Meetse win over Bucs.

Head-to-Head (since 2024/25)

PREVIOUS CUP MEETINGS

Season Cup Result Scorers

2024/25 Carling KO qfinals Pirates 2-3 Magesi Dlamini, Makgopa; Abrahams, Sesane (og), Chirambadare

CUP RECORD

P W D L GF GA

Pirates 1 0 0 1 2 3

Magesi 1 1 0 0 3 2

ALL LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2024/25 Magesi 0-1 Pirates Mofokeng

2024/25 Pirates 1-1 Magesi Maswanganyi; Chirambadare

OVERALL RECORD (all competitions)

Total

P W D L GF GA

Pirates 3 1 1 1 4 4

Magesi 3 1 1 1 4 4

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