I-ORLANDO Pirates isethubeni lokuqeda ishobolo leminyaka uma yehlula iRichards Bay emdlalweni weBetway Premiership eMlazi namuhla ngeSonto.
EZimnyama zizovakashela iNatal Rich Boyz eKing Zwelithini Stadium ngo-3 ntambama. Leli qembu eliholwa ngumqeqeshi uJose Riveiro, lisawaqoqe wonke amaphuzu ayisithupha emidlalweni emibili yeligi elisayidlalile kule sizini ka-2024/2025. IPirates ngelinye lamaqembu ePremiership aqale ngegiya eliphezulu futhi okubukeka kunzima ukuqhuzuka kuwona. Ngaphandle kwemidlalo yeligi, iPirates ayiyazi induku kule sizini kwazise iyiwine yomibili imidlalo yokuhlungela ukungena esigabeni samaqoqo seCaf Champions League ewudlale neCNaPS Sport yaseMadagascar neJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana. KwiMTN8 idlule kwiSuperSport nakwiCape Town City endleleni ebheke kowamanqamu ezowudlala neStellenbosch FC ngo-Okthoba 5 eThekwini.
Kungenzeka ukuthi le fomu isize iPirates iyisize ukuqeda ishwa leminyaka lokuhluleka ukuwina imidlalo emithathu yokuqala yesizini. Eminyakeni eyishumi eyedlule, Ezimnyama azikaze ziqoqe amaphuzu agcwele emidlalweni emithathu ilandelana yokuvula isizini kusukela ngo-2014. Ukuwina emibili kwemithathu yokuqala, yakugcina ngesizini ka-2017/2018 ngesikhathi yehlula iChippa United ngo 1-0, yadlala ngokulingana ngo 0-0 neBaroka ngaphambi kokuthela othulini iCape Town Spurs ngo 1-0. Kwamanye amasizini, EZimnyama zaziphuma nephuzu emidlalwei emithathu yokuqala. Lokhu kwenzeka ngeka-2014/2015 zivula ngesibhaxu sika 1-0 seSwallows, yabambana ngo 2-2 neBloemfontein Celtic, yaphuma nelinye kuMaZulu emdlalweni owaphela ngo 1-1. Kwamanye zazihluleka ukucosha ngisho elokubika ekhaya. Nangesizini ka-2019/2020 yabingelelwa ngesibhaxu sika 3-0 yiSuperSport United, yabanjwa wuSuthu ngo 0-0 ngaphambi kokumisa yiLamontville Golden Arrows ngendlela efanayo emdlalweni wesithathu.
Njengoba kuqale isizini ka-2024/2025, iPirates isiyiwinile imidlalo emibili yokuqala. Iqoqe amaphuzu agcwele kwiChippa eyehlule ngo 2-1 nakwiPolokwane City eyithele isibhaxu sika 3-0. Isendaweni yesibili kwi-log ngamaphuzu ayisithupha ngemuva kweMamelodi Sundowns esizihola phambili ngenxa yokuhlohla amagoli amaningi.Kubadlali abavuthayo kwiPirates kukhona uRelebohile Mofokeng, Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi noMonnapule Saleng oyishayele igoli lokuqala kowePolokwane. Nakuba EZimnyama zibheke ukukhipha ishobolo ngeBay kodwa kumele zigawule zibheke kwazise iRich Boyz isahlulwe kanye emidlalweni emithathu futhi isangenelwe ngamagoli amabili kuphela. IRich Boyz yehlule iTS Galaxy ngo 1-0 kowokuvula isizini, yakhala ngaphansi ngo 1-0 kwiChippa ngaphambi kokubambana neRoyal AM ngo 0-0 phakathi nesonto. Akubuzwa ukuthi ukunqoba kwabo kwiPirates kungenyusa ukuzethemba kubafana bomqeqeshi uBrandon Truter osebuya ihlandla lesibili kuleli qembu.
Imidlalo yeBetway Premiership:
NgoMgqibelo ngo-3pm: Kaizer Chiefs v Mamelodi Sundowns (FNB Stadium); Sekhukhune United v Golden Arrows (Peter Mokaba Stadium)
Ngo-5.30pm: Magesi v Royal AM (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium)
Ngo-8pm: Cape Town City v SuperSport United (Athlone Stadium); Marumo Gallants v AmaZulu (Toyota Stadium).
NgeSonto ngo-3pm: Richards Bay v Orlando Pirates (King Zwelithini Stadium); Polokwane City v Stellenbosch (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium)