I-ORLANDO Pirates iqede ukuqagela ngekusasa lo mdlali wayo oqavile, uMonnapule Saleng, osekuphele izinyanga abalandeli bemkhalela.
USaleng (27), oyintandokazi yabalandeli beZimnyama, wagcina ukubonakala enkundleni ngesikhathi leli qembu libhekene ne-Al Ahly esigabeni samaqoqo seCaf Champions League ngoDisemba nyakenye. KwiBetway Premiership udlale imidlalo emithathu kuphela, nowodwa kwiCarling Knockout ngesizini ka-2024/2025. KwiMTN8 udlale imidlalo emine, washaya amagoli amabili okubalwa kuwona elokuqala kowamanqamu abawunqobe ngo 3-1 behlula iStellenbosch FC eThekwini. Kulo nyaka akakaze alidlubhe ijezi lePirates phezu kokuba engekho kuleli qembu obechazela abalandeli ngesizathu esiholele kulokho. Obekusabalele ngamahlebezi angaqinisekisiwe okuthi ujeziselwa ukuhluleka ukuziphatha.
NgoLwesithathu ebusuku, iPirates imemezele ukuthi isibolekise uSaleng eqenjini lakhe lakudala, i-Orbit College, elisanda kunyukela kwiBetway Premiership. I-Orbit iwine imidlalo yokuhlunga iPSL Promotional Play-Offs obekukhona kuwona iCape Town City eqede endaweni ka-15 kwiPremiership neCasric Stars yaseMpumalanga. USaleng waqala kuyona i-Orbit isadlala ku-ABC Motsepe League ngaphambi kokudlulela kwiFree State Stars eyamdayisela iPirates ngo-2021.
"I-Orlando Pirates ingakuqinisekisa ukuthi isivumelene ne-Orbit College ngokuyiboleka uMonnapule Saleng. Lo mdlali oneminyaka engu-27 uzochitha isizini ka-2025/2026 kuleli qembu elingomakoti,"kusho isitatimende sePirates.
Akubuzwa ukuthi ukudlala kwi-Orbit ngesizini ka-2025/2026, kuzomsiza uSaleng abuyele ezingeni aziwa ngalo okuyilona eliholele ekutheni athole imiklomelo yePremier Soccer League. Ngesizini ka-2023/2024 wathola umklomelo weMTN8 Last Man Standing ngemuva kokusiza eZimnyama ziwine lesi sicoco. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathola umklomelo weDStv Premiership Players' Player of The Season.Ukungadlali kwiPirates kumlahlekisele nendawo eqenjini lesizwe, iBafana Bafana.
Khonamanjalo, iPirates imemezele ukuthi isihlukene noNdabayithethwa Ndlondlo obelizwa ngendaba ijezi esiswini kuleli qembu ngaphansi komqeqeshi, uJose Riveiro, oseshiyile.