Pirates through to MTN8 semis after beating Polokwane City

Abdeslam Ouaddou's reign at Orlando Pirates could not have started on a better note with the Moroccan-born coach seemingly on course to do what his predecessor Jose Riveiro did in the MTN8 in the past three seasons.

Ouaddou saw his team seamlessly sealing a place in the competition's semifinals with a 2-0 win over Polokwane City — a match that was wrapped in the first half in which Bucs new signings Oswin Appollis, Sihle Nduli and Sipho Mbule repaid Ouaddou for his confidence in starting with them in what was their first official match in Bucs colours.

Appollis even opened the scoring in the 15th minute after he was put through by Boitumelo Raidopane, the only player Ouaddou deployed as a target man in the Pirates line-up.

Appollis' goal came as Pirates was dominating the ball and putting pressure on the Limpopo visitors who looked suffocated every time the likes of Mbule, Patrick Maswanganyi and Relebohile Mofokeng took control of the match with their incisive moves and passes.

Ouaddou wasted no time in showing that Riveiro’s time, which saw Pirates win this competition a record three successive times, is over. It was not only Nduli, Mbule and Appollis who were the new Pirates players in the match-day squad.

They were joined by Yanela Mbuthuma, Tshepo Mashiloane, Tshepang Moremi, Abdoulaye Mariko, Komogela Sebelebele and Cemran Dansin on the bench.

Surprisingly there was no place in the Bucs starting line-up for familiar faces such as Thalente Mbatha, Makhehlene Makhaula, Deano van Rooyen and Simphiwe Selepe.

While it is known that Makhaula, who won the Betway Premiership midfielder of the Season award last season, is recovering from an injury he suffered late last season, it was quite startling why Ouaddou left so many other regulars on the stands.

But it's a new dawn at Pirates and maybe the new coach wanted to stamp his authority from the get-go.

The system Pirates used was not too different to what Riveiro did, but Ouaddou showed in his decision to play two playmakers in Mbule and Maswanganyi at the same time that he doesn't just want to win matches but also wants to win with some new faces.

There was also plenty of entertainment for the Bucs faithful who filled this venue to capacity as they welcomed Ouaddou and some of the club’s new players.

Indeed, Mbule and Maswanganyi put on a show. Maswanganyi for instance was the instigator of Pirates' second goal which was a penalty taken by him after Appollis was fouled by Monty Batlhabane inside the area in the 34th minute.

Maswanganyi had played Mofokeng through, and the winger crossed for his Bafana Bafana teammate Appollis who was rough-tackled by Batlhabane just as he was creating space to double Pirates' lead.

Pirates did, however, look vulnerable on the counter especially because Nduli tended to play high up field when he was expected to shield the defence from attack.

With the signing of Appollis and Moremi it did look like Pirates were ready for the departure of Mohau Nkota who was recently snapped up by Saudi Arabia Al-Ettifaq FC. When Appollis suffered cramps early in the second half Ouaddou responded by bringing on Moremi.

Mbutthuma too got a decent run on his debut after replacing a tired looking Radiopane the same minute Appollis was withdrawn. Mbuthuma could have tripled Pirates' lead a few seconds after coming on as he was put through by Maswanganyi but did not appear to be warmed up enough to react and punish the visitors.

The former Richards Bay striker nearly made amends a few minutes before the end when his shot was cleared off the line as the home side finished stronger.

Kabelo Dlamini and Malian midfielder Mariko did come on for Maswanganyi and Mbule as Ouaddou looked to manage and protect their lead in the dying minutes of this encounter — a sold-out affair in what was the first fixture in the PSL in the 2025-2026 campaign.

While Ouaddou’s era began with a comfortable win, it may be too early to judge whether he will surpass what Riveiro did — winning five domestic cups while failing to capture the Betway Premiership — a title Pirates last won in 2012.