All eyes will be on the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday as Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch clash in the MTN 8 final. It is a repeat of the final from last season, a game that Stellies lost in controversial circumstances.
The final sees the No.2 and No. 3 seeds face off, with both teams having had eventful runs to the final.
Orlando Pirates VS Stellenbosch FC Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Orlando Pirates VS Stellenbosch FC Date: Saturday, September 13
Orlando Pirates VS Stellenbosch FC Odds:
History
Pirates opened up the 2025 MTN 8 cup with a convincing 2-0 win over Polokwane City in the quarter-finals. It was a last-eight that went to seed, with Stellies being the team in most jeopardy. They had to overcome a spirited battle with AmaZulu, pulling out a 3-2 win thanks to an extra-time goal from forward Langelihle Phili.
In the semi-finals, it was Pirates’ time to be taken down to the wire. Stellenbosch won the first leg of their tie against Sekhukhune United 2-0, then cruised through the away leg, always in control of the contest. Their 3-1 aggregate win was never in doubt after they went 3-0 up in the 22nd minute of the second leg.
Mamelodi Sundowns versus Orlando Pirates is the biggest matchup in South African soccer. They faced off in the other semi-final with Pirates defending home turf to a 1-1 draw after a late Kamogelo Sebelebele equalizer.
Sebelebele was the hero once again in the second leg, as he again equalized a Sundowns opener. The match went all the way to penalties, with the Pirates progressing 4-1 on spot kicks without missing a single attempt.
Orlando Pirates
The timing of this final hasn’t been great for the Pirates. It comes after an international break, meaning that eight of the squad only rejoined on Wednesday.
The Buccaneers will have to hope those players come back fresh and firing. They will likely be without Tapelo Xoki, who hurt his knee in a car accident. Olisa Ndah is still not back from his long-term injury, an issue given that the Pirates lack cover at center back.
Stellenbosch
Stellies have had fewer issues with international call-ups. The only player expected to feature who was away with their nation was Thabo Moloisane, so the rest of the squad should be well reset and ideally prepared for this occasion.
Coach Steve Barker has played down the significance of this advantage, but bettors should not overlook it when punting on this match.
Stellies will be hoping that centre back Thabo Moloisane can shake off the knock to the head he suffered while on Bafana Bafana duty. Fans of both clubs will remember that he was linked with Pirates early in the transfer window and that, in a different timeline, he would be pulling on the opposite kit on Saturday.
Best Bets
These games have been tight lately. The last three games have not seen more than one goal, so all indications are that the team that scores first will win. If you think that trend will continue, then under 1.5 goals at 55/39 is worth a look. I like Stellies to sneak this one.
