Orlando Pirates are on the verge of securing their first South African Premiership title in more than a decade after a dramatic shift in momentum at the top of the table left them within touching distance of the crown.
A victory at home against Durban City FC on Saturday would be enough to hand Pirates the championship and finally end Mamelodi Sundowns’ lengthy domination of South African football.
With Sundowns having already completed their 30-match league campaign, Pirates know that three points would lift them above their rivals due to their superior goal difference.
The potential triumph would mark a major turning point in the Premiership landscape. Pirates have not won the league title since 2012, while Sundowns have spent recent years establishing one of the most dominant eras in South African football history.
The Brazilians have claimed eight consecutive league titles and consistently set the standard for success domestically, but their grip on the championship now appears to be slipping at the decisive stage of the campaign.
Pirates’ late-season charge, combined with Sundowns’ recent struggles, has transformed what once seemed a predictable title race into one of the most dramatic conclusions in recent memory.
Former Pirates midfielder Hleza Mofedi, who helped the club win the league under Roy Barreto in 2002, believes the current squad has rediscovered the mentality required to compete for major honours.
“We are Happy People! It is so nice to belong to the Orlando Amstel Arena, right now,” Mofedi said.
“Our players have done so well this season and they deserve the credit.”
Pirates’ position at the top of the title race has been strengthened by Sundowns’ recent loss of momentum.
The defending champions suffered a damaging 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy on Tuesday night, a result that proved decisive in opening the door for their rivals.
It continued an unusually inconsistent run for Sundowns, who have now failed to win three of their last seven league matches.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso pointed to fatigue and fixture congestion as key reasons behind the team’s decline during the closing weeks of the season.
“The calendar has beaten us and we need to recover as soon as possible,” Cardoso said.
The demanding schedule has seen Sundowns play seven matches in just 21 days while balancing domestic and continental commitments.
Attention for the Pretoria-based club is now turning toward the CAF Champions League final, where they are set to face AS FAR in the first leg at Loftus on Sunday.
That continental challenge has further complicated preparations and recovery at a crucial stage of the season.
For Pirates, however, the equation is now straightforward.
After years spent watching Sundowns dominate the domestic game, the Soweto giants are now just one victory away from reclaiming the league title and ending a 14-year wait for Premiership glory.
The stage is set for what could become one of the defining moments in the club’s modern history — a victory that would not only restore Pirates to the summit of South African football but also signal the end of one of the league’s most dominant eras.
