Orlando Pirates Legend Zuma Highlights Key Challenge in Title Push

Orlando Pirates are back on track in their Betway Premiership title ambitions, but club legend Sibusiso Zuma has highlighted a recurring issue that has hindered the Soweto giants over the years.

Under coach Jose Riveiro, Pirates have consistently performed well in high-profile matches but have struggled against so-called smaller teams. Losses to Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants in the early stages of the season have often undermined their title campaigns. In contrast, defeats against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns have been rare, with Pirates losing to Sundowns only once in each of the last two campaigns and avoiding league losses to Chiefs entirely.

Zuma pointed to the importance of consistency against all opponents.

“The problem I see is, we can win games like Sundowns, Chiefs, but can we beat Sekhukhune on a Wednesday? Those are very important games,” he said in an interview on SoccerBeat’s YouTube channel. “The league is a marathon; you need to win from the beginning until the end.”

The former FC Copenhagen striker noted that squad cohesion and mutual support are critical in overcoming this issue.

“It’s not a huge problem, it’s a matter of them coming together, work for each other, ‘Let me make you stronger where you are weak, so we can win this match,’” Zuma explained.

Smaller sides have repeatedly tested Pirates. Stellenbosch FC completed a league double over the club in 2023/24 and collected four points against them last season. Cape Town Spurs, Richards Bay FC, and Marumo Gallants have also contributed to dropped points that have stalled title pushes in recent campaigns.

Zuma’s warning underlines that Pirates’ path to a Premiership title depends not only on winning big games but also on consistently taking points against all opponents. Maintaining focus against lower-ranked sides will be vital if the Soweto giants are to claim the trophy this season.