Orlando Pirates secured their place in the Carling Knockout Cup final after defeating Richards Bay over the weekend.
Having already lifted the MTN8 trophy, Pirates had been surprisingly eliminated from the CAF Champions League, making their clash with Richards Bay particularly crucial.
The Bucs won the match 1-0 and will face Marumo Gallants in the final, which is set to take place on 6 December 2025 at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Richards Bay head coach Gabriel described the defeat as an honorable one but accused Pirates of time-wasting tactics. Speaking to Kick-Off, he said:
“When was the last time you saw Orlando Pirates time-wasting, delaying the game, or their goalkeeper receiving a yellow card for it?”
“This shows that they were under serious pressure for most of the second half. I commend my players; they fought well. It’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t secure the win. But we will carry this performance into the league.”