‘Pirates can’t win the league…’ Ouaddou advised on where to improve as PSL race intensifies

The ongoing 2025/26 Premier Soccer League has been one of the best for Orlando Pirates in recent years.

The Sea Robbers are currently leading the table on goal difference, having registered 44 points, the same as the defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns. This explains why a god number of football lovers in Mzansi feel the Soweto giants can finally break Masandawana’s dominance.

Initially, Kaizer Chiefs had been tipped to challenge for the PSL crown as well, but they have fallen short. The Glamour Boys have lost their last three top-tier outings, explaining why they are locked fifth on 30 points.

On Wednesday, Bucs beat Polokwane City 2-1 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium. But the Rise and Shine coach, Phuti Mohafe, has explained why it might be hard for Bucs to go all the way.

Pirates struggled against Polokwane

“You see, if they can continue playing like this, I don’t see them winning the championship. If they will play the way they played [on Wednesday night],” he opened up.

“Not knowing that, maybe our tactical aspects or our tactical acumen were spot on. Maybe we planned very well for them, and that is why they struggled against us. But with the performance that they gave, I don’t see them becoming champions.

“It’s a difficult defeat to accept, but you check on how the players played, they gave a good account of themselves. It was a first loss at home, and it is difficult to accept. But we were playing one of the big teams in Africa.

“A team that is free scoring and a team that is not conceding many goals. So scoring against them for us was a plus because we saw that there are certain things that they are not good at. It’s not a good defeat because a good reflection of the match would have been a draw,” Mohafe concluded.