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]]>The Buccaneers must win to stand a chance of overtaking Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the table.
Sundowns have already completed their season, and now their focus is on their CAF Champions League final second leg.
Pirates have been in this position before. Their previous league triumphs also came with pressure-filled final matches.
Their first PSL-era title arrived in the 2000/01 season under Gordon Igesund. It was a difficult campaign.
Pirates suffered a collapse in form after the Ellis Park disaster, where 43 supporters lost their lives. Angry fans even stormed the training and attacked Igesund.
But the Pirates recovered strongly. They beat Ajax Cape Town 3-0 to seal the title before losing their final match against Kaizer Chiefs.
In 2002/03, Roy Barreto guided the Pirates to another championship. This time, they dominated the league.
Pirates finished six points clear at the top after conceding only 16 goals all season. A late Lesley Manyathela equaliser against Wits secured the title.
The 2010/11 campaign produced one of the most dramatic finishes in PSL history.
Pirates beat Golden Arrows 2-1 thanks to Isaac Chansa’s late winner. They then relied on Ajax Cape Town slipping up against Maritzburg United.
Ajax drew 2-2, and Pirates won the league on goal difference. Pirates defended their crown in 2011/12 under Julio Leal and Augusto Palacios.
They defeated Golden Arrows 4-2 on the final day. Benni McCarthy scored twice in a famous comeback victory.
Now another dramatic chapter awaits against Orbit College in the final day of league action.
Can the current Buccaneers have the nerves of steel needed to get the win, or will they falter and let it slip? The answer will be known by 5 pm this afternoon.
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]]>The post Modiba admits Sundowns still ‘hoping and praying’ league title appeared first on MDNtv.
]]>This is despite the team being involved in a crucial CAF Champions League final. And the destiny of the Betway Premiership is out of their hands now.
Modiba scored the only goal as Sundowns defeated AS FAR 1-0 in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final at Loftus Stadium on Saturday.
But while the Brazilians were focused on continental business, they were also keeping a close eye on the title race involving Orlando Pirates.
Pirates were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Durban City on Saturday — a result that keeps Sundowns’ slim league hopes alive heading into the final round of fixtures.
Modiba admitted the players were following the Pirates’ result closely.
“Yeah, no, obviously, when it was a draw, we were watching that game,” said Modiba.
“When it was a draw, we still believed, we always believe, anything can happen — but we also know the quality of Orlando Pirates, how bad they want the league.”
Despite Pirates remaining favourites to lift the title, Sundowns have not completely given up hope.
The Buccaneers still need a positive result against Orbit College FC in their final match to officially seal the championship.
Modiba says Sundowns will continue believing until the very end.
“Hopefully, in the last game against Orbit, they will have the same result, so we’ll just hope and pray. We always believe, you must always believe, so yeah, we believe,” he added.
Sundowns are chasing a ninth consecutive league title, but after surrendering top spot earlier in the season, they now face the real possibility of seeing Pirates end their dominance.
However, the Tshwane giants have placed themselves in a strong position to soften that blow after moving one step closer to CAF Champions League glory.
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]]>The post Gayton McKenzie fuels Pirates title fire with fresh Sundowns dig appeared first on MDNtv.
]]>The Sports Minister had already angered Mamelodi Sundowns supporters earlier this week after their shock 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy.
Shortly after Sundowns’ collapse, McKenzie posted a cryptic message on social media saying: “The sun is going down.”
Many supporters interpreted it as a direct jab at Sundowns, whose defeat handed Pirates a huge advantage in the title race.
The post triggered outrage among Sundowns fans, with many accusing the minister of mocking the club.
Now McKenzie has added more fuel to the fire ahead of the Pirates’ potentially title-winning clash against Durban City at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday afternoon.
“I grew up in an insanely football household,” McKenzie posted. “We have supported one team our whole lives, which was Bloem Celtic and currently Siwelele.
“I will never change, but I appreciate good football and success. Today, Orlando Pirates are deservedly lifting the cup — whether you get angry or not. Amen.”
Pirates now stand on the brink of ending Sundowns’ eight-year dominance in South African football.
A victory over Durban City at a sold-out Orlando Amstel Arena would officially crown the Buccaneers Betway
Premiership champions.
The Soweto giants have mounted a remarkable late charge in the title race and could complete one of the biggest league turnarounds in recent PSL history.
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]]>The post Arthur Zwane on why Orlando Pirates deserve to end Sundowns’ dominance appeared first on MDNtv.
]]>The title race has exploded into life after Sundowns suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy earlier this week.
That result opened the door for the Pirates, who now need just three points from their final two matches to be crowned champions.
The Buccaneers host Durban City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday before ending the season away to Orbit College FC at Mbombela Stadium.
Zwane admitted Pirates have earned the right to finally lift the trophy after years of pushing Sundowns all the way.
“But what do you say about what happened on Tuesday night? Whoever thought it was going to turn out this way?” Zwane said.
“That’s football for you. It’s unpredictable. But by the look of things, Pirates might win the league this weekend.”
Zwane also warned that Orlando Amstel Arena has become one of the toughest places to visit in South African football.
“Sometimes you’ve got to give credit when it’s due,” he said. “That place there… teams go there and get hit by five or six goals.
“We also got hit by three goals there. That team is at a different level at that place.”
The former Kaizer Chiefs coach believes Pirates’ rise has been years in the making.
“When you look at them over the past three years, you could see they’ve been knocking,” said Zwane.
“They’ve been finishing second for the last three seasons, so this has been coming.”
Zwane even compared the Pirates’ journey to Arsenal’s title challenge in England.
“It’s like what has been happening in England,” he added.
“As a person, I think Arsenal should win it because they’ve been pushing for years. But I can’t say it with Pirates because I am a coach in the same league and I should be challenging for it.”
Despite praising Pirates, Zwane remains focused on securing a top-four finish with AmaZulu as they prepare to face Chiefs in Durban this weekend.
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]]>The post Cardoso explains Sundowns’ title collapse, says ‘Calendar beat us’ appeared first on MDNtv.
]]>Masandawana suffered a damaging 3-2 defeat against TS Galaxy on Tuesday evening, a result that completely changed the complexion of the title race.
The loss means Sundowns no longer control their own destiny. They must now rely on Orlando Pirates dropping points in both their remaining fixtures against Durban City FC and Orbit College FC.
Speaking after the defeat, Cardoso pointed directly at the congested football calendar as the biggest reason behind his team’s recent struggles.
“It was the calendar that beat us,” Cardoso said. The Portuguese coach highlighted Sundowns’ incredible run of 11 consecutive victories since January before fatigue finally began catching up with the squad.
“After we played Esperance, we drew twice, and we lost today,” he explained.
Despite growing frustration among supporters, Cardoso passionately defended his players and urged fans to appreciate the sacrifices made throughout the season.
“These boys have been working all season very hard,” he said.
Cardoso also reminded supporters that Sundowns remained competitive across multiple competitions, including reaching the CAF Champions League final.
The coach admitted fans are hurting but insisted the bigger picture should not be ignored.
“They can criticise the coach, it’s not a problem for me, I have big shoulders,” he added.
“But look at the big picture, and let’s make a proper analysis when we finish everything.”
With the title race now hanging by a thread, Sundowns’ hopes of retaining their crown suddenly depend on their biggest rivals slipping up at the final hurdle.
However, their focus now turns to the CAF Champions League final first leg at Loftus Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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