Orlando Pirates News Today: Mofokeng scores on Belgium league debut, Bucs injury blow & more

Orlando Pirates news, as former Bucs star Relebohile Mofokeng scores on his Belgian league debut, Abdeslam Ouaddou confirms injury scare as he praises his side’s resilience after a dramatic MTN8 quarter-final win.

Mofokeng marks Belgian league debut with goal

Former Orlando Pirates winger Relebohile Mofokeng wasted absolutely no time making his mark on the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, scoring just four minutes after coming off the bench in his league debut as Union Saint-Gilloise defeated Westerlo to make it 3-1.

The 21-year-old has hit the ground running in Belgium since his departure from Soweto. Just a week before, Mofokeng had been the hero of the Belgian Super Cup, converting the decisive penalty to hand USG the trophy against champions Club Brugge.

𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗦!

Relebohile Mofokeng scores his first league goal for Royal Union Saint Gilloise as they beat Westerlo! 🇿🇦

The former Orlando Pirates star scored four minutes after coming off the bench. 💪 pic.twitter.com/YckaPMswui

— Sahil Ebrahim (@sahil_e_) August 8, 2026

He was an unused substitute in Union Saint-Gilloise’s UEFA Champions League qualifier first leg against Bodo/Glimt — a match that ended 3-3 — before being handed his opportunity in the league opener.

Mofokeng was introduced with his side leading 2-1 and took barely four minutes to find the net, putting the result beyond doubt.

Ouaddou confirms injury blow after MTN8 win

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has confirmed that captain Nkosinathi Sibisi sustained an injury during the Buccaneers’ dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Durban City in the MTN8 quarter-final at Orlando Amstel Arena.

Sibisi was substituted at half-time, with Mpho Chabatsane brought on to partner Lebone Seema in central defence for the remainder of the match.

Speaking to SABC Sport after the final whistle, Ouaddou explained the impact the enforced change had on his side: “I had to make some changes at halftime because Sibisi was injured. I think it created some imbalance in that area; we conceded a goal.”

Ouaddou praises Pirates’ braveness and belief

Despite the setback of losing their captain midway through the contest, Ouaddou was full of admiration for the mental fortitude his side displayed in seeing out the win against Durban City.

The Pirates coach acknowledged the nature of the MTN8 makes every fixture a tough proposition, saying, as per KickOff: “Nobody will come here in Orlando Pirates and give you the game.”

He felt his side made a strong enough start to have put the tie beyond doubt before Sibisi’s departure, pointing to missed opportunities in the final third: “We started the game like what we wanted, putting the tempo, having control. I think we could’ve killed the game earlier, but we missed some important big chances.”

Ultimately, though, Ouaddou chose to focus on the character his players showed in the face of adversity: “What I liked is the braveness, character, personality of my team. We believed until the end and went all the way into extra-time.”