Orlando Pirates suffered their first defeat of pre-season after going down 3-2 to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad on Tuesday night.
The Buccaneers endured another slow start and were punished early as Al Ittihad opened the scoring, continuing a worrying trend that has followed the Soweto giants throughout their pre-season campaign.
Pirates responded well and found an equaliser through midfielder Thalente Mbatha, who finished off a good move to bring his side back into the contest.
However, defensive lapses once again proved costly.
A mistake at the back allowed the Saudi outfit to regain the lead before half-time, leaving head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou with plenty to think about.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Pirates enjoying spells of possession but struggling to deal with defensive pressure.
Another costly error late in the game gifted Al Ittihad their third goal, effectively putting the result beyond doubt.
Substitute Yanela Mbuthuma grabbed a late consolation goal in the dying moments, but it was not enough to prevent Pirates from slipping to defeat.
The result will concern Ouaddou, who has repeatedly stressed that improving the team’s defensive organisation is one of his main objectives during the pre-season camp.
In all three of their friendly matches so far, Pirates have conceded the opening goal, with defensive mistakes playing a major role in each encounter.
While the Buccaneers have shown encouraging signs going forward, tightening up at the back will remain a priority before the start of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season.

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