CHAMPIONS: Pirates end 14-year wait for league title

Orlando Pirates have been crowned 2025/26 Betway Premiership champions with a 2-0 win over Orbit College on the final day of the season at Mbombela Stadium.

Pirates faced another shot at destiny after the frustrating goalless draw against Durban City last weekend but needed nothing less than a victory for the title, while Orbit too needed a win for their survival aspirations.

As expected, the title-chasers were on the front-foot in the opening ten minutes when a long-range strike by Thalente Mbatha forced goalkeeper Sabelo Nkomo to make the save.

The Buccaneers squandered a more clearer chance on the half-hour mark after Oswin Appollis played a ball over the top for Tshepang Moremi, who beat the offside trap to go in on goal, but he fired over the top with only Nkomo to beat.

Pirates' first major scare came shortly towards halftime where an in-swinging corner-kick found Lethabo Modimoeng in the heart of the area and the forward tucked inches wide of the near post.

However, The Buccaneers were on the front-foot in the final minute of the first half after Nkomo got ahead of a cluster of bodies in the box and unfortunately punched a corner from Moremi into his own net.

Another slice of good fortune came for the Buccaneers five minutes in the second half when Ndumiso Ngiba tucked a long-ball over the top from Mbatha into his own net and gifted the visitors a two-goal lead.

Pirates were in the mood to add more goals a few minutes later as a loose ball in the area from a clever move found Moremi with the goal in sight, but the winger yet again failed to hit target from close proximity.

It was the last contribution of the former AmaZulu winger who was substituted in the 60th minute and had Patrick Maswanganyi come on the park much to a noisy roar out in the stands.

The Buccaneers increased their momentum ten minutes later and almost grabbed a third through a low and hard shot on the far side by Kamogelo Sebelebele, but Nkomo was equal to the task and denied the winger-cum-defender.

Pirates continued to have the lion share of momentum and chances in the closing stages and secured victory to land the title after 14 years as the defeat commended the Mswenko boys back to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.