Orlando Pirates history makers as they annihilate Stellenbosch in MTN8 final for a record

ORLAND PIRATES 0 (3)

Moremi 92’, 110’, Mabasa 103’

STELLENBOSCH   0 (0)

MBOMBELA - After successfully banging on God’s Window, Orlando Pirates’ set themselves ready to chase for the unprecedented "Big Five" of MTN8 crowns as they continued with the cup's dominance beating Stellenbosch FC 3-0 at the Land of the Rising Sun, Mpumalanga's main stadium Mbombela on Saturday evening.

After going 0-0 up to 90mins, Pirates wore a menacing look in extra time, scoring three unanswered goals to lift a record-extending fourth crown—sending the Ghost into a frenzy.

It was a triumph that all those associated with the club will gladly celebrate, as the doubt that had been cast over coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and last season’s MTN8 final win over Stellies—which was said to be controversial—slowly surely clears.

Pirates will be eager to take this momentum into the Betway Premiership, where they’ve also started to find their mojo after a poor start.

Stellies, meanwhile, again failed to get past the Bourke’s Luck Potholes against Pirates, losing their third successive MTN8 clash against the side—a streak that could pile pressure on Steve Barker, whose team has also struggled in the league this season.

Granted, all Pirates' goals came in extra time after a goalless regulation period. But this game—from start to finish—told a tale of animal life and footballing wildlife at a place famed for its natural treasures: the Kruger National Park.

They say revenge is best served cold—and Stellies hoped to do just that here: add more pain to Ouaddou, who was already heavily strapped in an arm sling following a car accident, and still reeling from last season’s controversial MTN8 final loss.

But for all the visitors’ ambitions, Pirates weren’t about to let their legacy in the competition slip away. The prospect of becoming record-extending four-time successive winners of the MTN8—at a place known for the Big Five—spurred them on.

The Sea Robbers cruised on the pristine pitch early, forcing Stellies to chase shadows. Even the switch from baggy pants to proper kit shorts during pitch inspections was telling.

Despite starting at a frantic pace, which almost matched the fireworks that created a euphoric atmosphere pre-match, Pirates lacked the Midas touch in the final third—staring at God’s Window without stepping through.

Forget the wildlife headlines off the pitch—Sipho Mbule brought his on-pitch “wildlife” in the first half, bossing the midfield with delicious passes that embodied his “MasterChef” moniker. But those moments went to waste.

As a result, Pirates’ performance frustrated Ouaddou—who was expected to have a giraffe’s-eye view of the game due to his posture—as he paced the touchline like a father waiting outside the maternity ward.

Ouaddou’s counterpart, Steve Barker, meanwhile, remained calm in his dugout, dressed in a crisp white shirt that made him resemble a shepherd watching his players spread across the pitch like a flock of sheep during inspection.

Barker’s calmness carried a hint of confidence. One of his club’s officials even sprayed something on the goalmouth where Pirates had done the same—mind games becoming part of the battle.

But more than once, Stellies’ No. 1, Sage Stephens, kept his team in the game, including parrying away Thalente Mbatha’s early shot—pressure that Pirates failed to capitalise on for the remainder of the half.

Stephens kept the Ghost on the edge of their zebra-striped seats early in the second half, saving Evidence Makgopa’s close-range shot after a brilliant diagonal, defence-splitting pass from Sihle Nduli.

Stellies turned the game on its head afterward, becoming the hunters. They pinned Pirates in their own half, using Andre De Jong as their reference point, while launching crosses from Sanele Barns and Omega Mdaka.

But that didn’t bear fruit. Pirates’ defence—though disorganised at times—scrambled to clear the danger, aided by goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, who saved Barns’ goal-bound effort.

Feeling the pressure in the second half, Ouaddou—who by then had shed his arm sling—introduced fresh legs up front, including Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, and Tshegofatso Mabasa. But they initially lacked venom, with Stellies’ defence standing tall.

Those substitutes, however, sharpened their teeth in extra time. Moremi broke the deadlock just two minutes in, before turning provider with an assist for Mabasa’s goal just before the break.

Moremi sealed the win early in the second half of extra time, beating the offside trap to latch onto another Appollis assist, calmly slotting past a deflated Stephens.

And just like that, the Pirates continued their chase for the Big Five—at the Place of the Rising Sun!