Orlando Pirates News Today: Nervous moments begin for Buccaneers, offer to save Mbule & more

Latest news about Orlando Pirates, including the anxiety about their upcoming title decider and how Sipho Mbule has turned from hero to zero after missing out on Bafana’s World Cup squad.

Nervous moments for Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and his players Orlando Pirates. Image: Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates and their fans are nervously looking forward to their final match of the season away to Orbit College as a lot rests on the game.

Pirates, who missed chance to win the PSL title following their goalless draw with Durban City last week, now must beat Orbit College to claim their first title in 14 years as anything less would hand it to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Meanwhile, Orbit need a win to boost their survival chances while a draw could secure a playoff spot for them, making it difficult for the Buccaneers in what will be a tense 90 minutes at a sold-out Mbombela Stadium.

Sipho Mbule: From Bafana hero to zero?

Sipho Mbule playing for Bafana Bafana. Photo: SAFA Media

Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule’s reduced gametime has seen him miss out of the 2026 World Cup after he was not named in the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad.

It is a fall from grace for a man who had wormed his way into the heart of Bafana coach Hugo Broos last September and played a key part in their qualification for the World Cup before making the AFCON 2025 squad.

However, with just five substitute appearances since he came back from AFCON, Mbule has paid the ultimate price as he was overlooked by Broos in favour of others who play regularly.

Bucs legend offers to help struggling midfielder

Amid Sipho Mbule’s lack of gametime at Orlando Pirates with no reasons given over why he is not playing, there is growing speculation that the midfielder could have been affected by off-the-pitch issues again and club legend Tebogo Moloi is offering to help him overcome whatever it is.

“Let me give my honest opinion. If there’s something that has to do with off-the-field antics, I think some of us are still around, we can still help him to overcome them,” he said as per KickOff.

“I would honestly, 100%, love to see him end his career at Pirates. Off-the-field antics are not things that we at Pirates have never seen players overcome [and go on to] become superstars. So, I think this is one player that, just for once, I plead that we invest our energy into saving him.”