Durban City vs Orlando Pirates: Preview, team news, time and where to watch

Orlando Pirates have a chance to go top of the PSL table if they can secure a win against Durban City on Saturday.

Pirates’ elimination from the CAF Champions League has given them a chance to apply pressure on their title rivals and after moving three points ahead of Kaizer Chiefs and level with leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, they have a chance to be out there on their own.

Pirates have 25 points from 11 games and still have a match in hand over Sundowns, which will take place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Form guide

Pirates are unbeaten in their last seven matches (six wins and a draw) with their last three ending in wins for Abdeslam Ouaddou’s team.

Scarier for Durban, Pirates have lost just one game since their back-to-back league defeats at the start of the season, a run of 16 wins, two draws and one defeat in 19 games across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Durban have just one win in their last five although they have done well for a newly-promoted side, who sit seventh on the log with 19 points from 13 games, after five wins, four draws and as many defeats.

That is largely due to the fact that they are managed by one of the PSL’s finest coaches in Gavin Hunt, who has been in the business for nearly 30 years and won four South African league titles.

Head-to-head

Not many coaches have their records compared against a next opponent but Hunt has been around long enough to earn the right.

In his storied coaching career, the former SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits and Kaizer Chiefs coach has faced Pirates 36 times and he has 15 wins, nine draws and 12 losses.

History favours Pirates in this fixture as in their last meetings, when the club was still in the top flight, the Buccaneers lost just one of their last 10, winning seven and two ending in draws.

The two teams last met in February 2023, when Pirates won 2-1, having lost 1-0 in the corresponding fixture in September 2022.

Team news

Pirates have few players in the treatment room now with Relebohile Mofokeng, Olisa Ndah and Makhehlene Makhaula returning to action after spells out with injuries, adding to the selection headache of Ouaddou.

Defenders Tapelo Xoki and Thabiso Sesane and midfielder Sihle Nduli are, however, still out but all eyes will be on MLS-bound Mbekezeli Mbokazi to see if he will feature after reportedly agreeing a deal with Chicago Fire.

What have they said?

Ouaddou has stressed the need to win while playing an attractive brand of football and he will be looking for that from his side.

“The result is very important, but when you are the coach of such a big club — one of the biggest in South Africa and Africa — you must understand that people are coming to watch a show, especially in modern football,” said the Moroccan coach.

“When people are coming to pack a stadium, as the new generation of coaches, we take these things into consideration, especially when we pass our badges. The way you deliver the game — the show, the performance and the results — is very important.”

Time and where to watch

The match will kick off at 15:30 at Moses Mahbida Stadium and will be live on SuperSport TV.

𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓_𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇

🆚 @DurbanCity_FC (A)
🗓 Saturday ,29 November 2025
🎟 https://t.co/a4dm1o2cgj
⏰ 15H30
🏟 @MMStadium
📺 @SuperSportTV

⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/9Zha1r1Xxn

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) November 27, 2025

Orlando Pirates predicted lineup

Chaine; Hotto, Van Rooyen, Mbokazi, Sibisi; Mbata, Namtajela, Mbule; Moremi, Mofokeng, Makgopa