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The Betway Premiership is up and running with Orlando Pirates travelling to Bloemfontein for their first away fixture in the 2025/26 season as they visit Marumo Gallants for a clash at Dr Molemela Stadium on Tuesday night.
The fixture pits one of the league’s oldest clubs against one of the youngest, drawing another chapter in what is still a new yet exciting rivalry. It also marks Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s return to his previous home as he looks to collect the Soweto Giants’ first Premiership points in the new season.
It’s a match-up between two sides currently placed on opposite ends of the league table, following the results of what was an exciting opening weekend of league clashes.
The Opposition
Gallants occupy the top eight in the standings after the first game week after their victory over Richards Bay over the weekend. It was the perfect start to newly-appointed head coach Alexandre Laffite, who got his tenure off to a winning start despite finishing the game with 10 men.
Goals from ex-Bucs Reserves forward Bheki Mabuza and newly-recruited midfielder Simo Mbhele handed them a 2-1 win at King Zwelithini Stadium, which propelled them to fourth place in the standings. It came at a cost however, with skipper Edgar Manaka suspended for the clash following his 39th minute red card.
They have enough cover in midfield in the form of Dimakatso Mashao, Pathutshedzo Nange, and Mkhuseli Rampa. There are also a few new arrivals in the form of both goal-scorers from the weekend, along with Teboho Motloung and Jaisen Cliiford who both formed part of their match day squad over the weekend.
Bucs Team News
With Tshepho Mashiloane and Kamogelo Sebelebele, two more Buccaneers debuted in the defeat to Sekhukhune while the likes of Sipho Mbule and Oswin Appollis made their first Premiership appearances in the club’s colours. There could be more new faces in the match day squad with Masindi Nemtajela and Sinoxolo Kwayiba both yet to feature, while Nkosikhona Ndaba inched closer to a competitive appearance when he was included on the bench against Babina Noko.
All available options could contribute towards the Buccaneers’ first league points of the season after they failed to get off the mark on home turf when they fell to a 1-0 defeat on Saturday night.
In their first away outing of the season, three fixtures in across competitions, Pirates are looking to get back to winning ways having found themselves deep in the bottom half of the table early on in their campaign. They are in unfamiliar territory in 13th place – a fair distance away from their second-place finish in the previous season.
Awaiting them is a high-flying Gallants outfit looking for back-to-back victories for the first time in their two opening fixtures since first ascending into the top flight.
Head-to-Head
Pirates’ dominance in the fixture was halted abruptly on their last visit to the Free State when they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of their new mentor back in March this year. It was their first league defeat in an unbeaten run of eight matches, which included four straight wins against Tuesday’s hosts.
Five of the eight previous fixtures have ended in victory for the Buccaneers, with an 8-1 win at Orlando Stadium accounting for half of the goals scored by the Soweto Giants in fixtures between the two sides. A total of 20 goals have been scored with the hosts only accounting for four.
Half of Gallants’ goals came in the most recent fixture where they not only breached Pirates’ defences for the first time at home, but also claimed their first maximum points hauling their own turf.
The Buccaneers’ have claimed five league victories in eight attempts against Bahlabane ba Ntwa, with two of those occurring away from home.
TV Coverage and Ticket Info
The fixture kicks off at 19:30 with live coverage on SuperSport PSL. Orlando Pirates will provide live updates across the club’s social media channels.
Tickets are available for purchase online on Computicket as well as selected outlets nationwide.
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE