Orlando Pirates begin the defence of their MTN8 title when they visit Sekhukhune United at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, 22 August, in the first leg of their semi-final.
The Buccaneers have spent the past week concentrating on league football but now return to cup competition for the opening match of a demanding tie. The two teams are due to meet three times in just over a week, making Saturday’s contest an important opportunity for either side to take the early advantage.
The match will be Orlando Pirates’ third consecutive fixture away from home. Their recent schedule has involved considerable travel, including a goalless draw with AmaZulu in KwaZulu-Natal followed by an emphatic win over Chippa United.
Their progress to the semi-finals was secured in far more dramatic circumstances. Orlando Pirates were taken to extra time by Durban City in the quarter-final, eventually advancing when the decisive moment came in the final action of a 120-minute match.
The Soweto club have now reached the MTN8 semi-finals for a fifth successive season and will be determined to maintain their challenge for another trophy.
Orlando Pirates will be without Sihle Nduli and Thalente Mbatha for the trip to Limpopo. Tshepang Moremi could return after missing the victory against Chippa United.
Sekhukhune United also arrive in strong early-season form. Babina Noko reached the last four with an entertaining 4-3 quarter-final victory over AmaZulu and have won two of their three league matches.
Their most recent success came in a convincing Limpopo derby victory against Polokwane City. Sekhukhune’s only league defeat so far was against Kaizer Chiefs, but they responded with a strong derby performance to show they could recover quickly from a setback.
Vuyo Letlapa is unavailable because of injury, while on-loan right-back Tshepho Mashilowane cannot play against his parent club.
Sekhukhune United coach Cedric Kaze said his side understood the scale of the task but were prepared to compete.
“We know how big is the mountain we need to climb, but we are preparing ourselves and want to compete. Starting on Saturday, for the first leg we need to be our best,” Kaze said.
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou urged his players to remain committed to their own style rather than becoming overly focused on their opponents.
“We just have to stick to our principles, our way of playing football. You know we are not too focused on the opponent, even when we study the opponent,” Ouaddou said.
Although the rivalry between the clubs is relatively recent, they have already shared several notable matches. Orlando Pirates beat Sekhukhune United 2-1 in the 2022/23 Nedbank Cup final, while their most recent MTN8 quarter-final meeting ended in a 5-0 victory for the Buccaneers at Orlando Amstel Arena.
The teams have played 12 times in all competitions. Orlando Pirates have won six of those meetings, Sekhukhune United have won four and two have ended in draws. Orlando Pirates have scored 15 of the 25 goals recorded across those matches.
Match details
– Match: Sekhukhune United v Orlando Pirates
– Competition: MTN8 semi-final, first leg
– Date: Saturday, 22 August
– Kick-off: 15:00
– Venue: Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
– TV: SuperSport PSL and SABC 1
– Tickets: Available through OpenTickets
The second leg will decide which team reaches the MTN8 final, but the opening encounter offers both clubs the chance to establish a crucial advantage.
Live update: Sekhukhune United 1-1 Orlando Pirates
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