Ghampani Lungu has made an immediate impact at Orlando Pirates, scoring four times in his first seven appearances for the club.
The Zambian winger joined the Buccaneers ahead of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership campaign and has quickly offered evidence of why the club moved to sign him. His arrival has added goals, pace and decisive moments to an Orlando Pirates attack that has started the season with significant momentum.
Lungu made his official debut against Durban City in the MTN8 quarter-finals. Although he was introduced from the bench and played only 23 minutes, he still had enough time to make a decisive contribution.
The winger scored the winning goal to send Orlando Pirates into the next round of the competition.
He followed that effort with another goal in his next appearance. Lungu took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake before unleashing a powerful strike from distance to put Pirates ahead.
His influence continued as the Betway Premiership campaign gathered pace. In a match against Chippa United, Lungu displayed the movement that has become a feature of his early performances, finding space inside the final third before calmly finishing to open the scoring in a 3-0 victory for Orlando Pirates.
The 26-year-old’s fourth goal came at Mbombela Stadium against newly promoted Kruger United.
Kamogelo Sebelebele won a penalty in the fourth minute, and Lungu took responsibility from the spot. He remained composed and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, extending a remarkable scoring run that has seen him find the net four times in seven matches.
That record had already established the Zambia international as one of Orlando Pirates’ most exciting new attacking options. However, his impressive start was overshadowed moments later when he suffered an injury and was forced to leave the pitch.
Early assessments suggest the problem could be a serious muscle injury, although the full extent of the damage is not known.
The timing is particularly unfortunate for Orlando Pirates, who are competing for silverware in several competitions and have built considerable attacking momentum with Lungu playing a prominent role.
The Buccaneers will now hope the winger’s injury is not as serious as initially feared. His early contribution has given supporters a clear indication of what he can offer, with his record standing at seven appearances, four goals and one assist.
Lungu’s rapid start has already made him a popular figure among Orlando Pirates fans, who have seen the Zambian provide an immediate attacking threat since arriving at the club. His ability to influence matches from open play and from set pieces has made him an important part of the team’s early-season progress.
For Orlando Pirates, the priority is now his recovery. If he can return quickly and maintain the form he showed before the injury, the Buccaneers will hope he can resume the scoring run that has made such a strong impression in his first seven matches.
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