Orlando Pirates shine in 'another final festival' in Durban to clinch Carling Cup

ORLANDO PIRATES   (0) (2)

Luthuli 68’, Radiopane 80’

CARLING ALL STARS (0) (0)

Orlando Pirates proved that they have mastered how and when to turn it on at “final” festivals in the first half of the 2025 season — and not even a PSL combined “All Stars” team or rainy weather conditions could derail them.

Pirates won the Carling Cup after beating the All Stars team 2–0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday, courtesy of goals from substitutes Sifiso Luthuli and Boitumelo Radiopane.

While this was an unofficial trophy, it still counts toward the team’s domestic success so far this season, after they bagged the MTN8 — their fourth in a row — and the Carling Knockout for the first time in three attempts.

The strides made by this Pirates team have not only been evident in domestic competitions, but in the Betway Premiership as well. They ended the year sitting top of the standings with 28 points, two ahead of champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who have played one game more.

With Durban home to the “mothers of parties” during this time of the year, this clash was expected to add to the city’s entertainment flavour. Off the field, it duly lived up to expectations from the onset, with the masses embracing the spits of rain and windy weather conditions to watch the match.

But while the heavens opened up for an impressive crowd — the biggest since the event’s relaunch three seasons ago — the action on the pitch was not as exciting early on. Not only was the pitch heavy, but the performers were slow to join the party.

Those uninspiring acts were perhaps expected and justifiable. Pirates started with a largely makeshift team, as their best players were away with Bafana Bafana ahead of AFCON, while Manqoba Mngqithi and champion coach Bonginkosi Chonco had only a week to work with the All Stars team.

Despite those factors, both Abdeslam Ouaddou and Mngqithi backed their troops to deliver masterclass performances. As such, Ouaddou was relentless on the touchline, pacing up and down. Mngqithi, meanwhile, was calmness personified, only standing up to bark instructions before returning to his seat beside Chonco.

The rustiness of the Pirates players under the weather conditions and in front of a buzzing crowd was evident. So much so that Makhehleni Makhaula was exposed on a number of occasions by Mfundo Vilakazi, who is full of trickery and nippy feet.

The youngster, who is used to entertaining the masses week in and week out at his club Kaizer Chiefs, was hard done by due to some poor refereeing from Siyabonga Nkomo, who cautioned him for diving when Makhaula brought him down inside the box.

The season’s refereeing “party-pooper” acts continued when Nkomo denied the All Stars team yet another penalty, this time after Olisa Ndah wrapped his arm around his marker, who was in possession of the ball, and brought him down.

Given all those mishaps from Nkomo, Pirates were lucky to go into the break not trailing, as they hardly came into the party. As a result, all the efforts Patrick Maswanganyi tried to conjure up in the final third were tellingly ineffective, with the team lacking bite up front.

Pirates’ experience in tight and challenging situations eventually showed and prevailed, as Ouaddou brought on fresh legs onto the slippery surface to win the contest — and yet another piece of silverware — for Pirates.

After making his cameo, Luthuli was put through on goal with a defence-splitting pass. He did well to latch onto the ball before lobbing it over an onrushing Naphthali Mokoena in goal.

Ouaddou’s substitutes were at it again, with Boitumelo Radiopane sealing the win after beating his markers on the edge of the box before curling a hard, low shot into Mokoena’s far post.

And that was that for Pirates in 2025. They proved why they have been the best team in the first half of the season, beating a PSL national team — made up of top-flight and reserve team stars — to crown a fruitful year.