By: Mpho Sekharume
The goal difference tally may prove to be the difference to determine who will walk away as the Betway Premiership champions between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns as the league races down to a nail-biting finish.
Fortunes have swung dramatically in favour of Pirates following a high-stakes week that leaves the Buccaneers with one hand on the trophy, after Sundowns dropped points against Chiefs who put up a spirited performance to deny the reigning champion maximum points at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Wednesday night.
A glaring error from goalkeeper Ronwen Williams allowed the visitors to snatch an early lead, while midfielder Jayden Adams compounded the Brazilians' misery by picking up a red card for simulation.
Sundowns coach, Miguel Cardoso, was visibly furious following the stalemate, directing his ire toward a congested fixture schedule and a perceived lack of protection for his players.
He bemoaned the physical toll of the campaign, noting that the combination of fatigue and a bruising encounter left several of his key stars requiring hospital attention for serious injuries.
“We are currently losing players now, and maybe we are lucky because it could have happened earlier,” Cardoso stated.
He stated that every coach depends on their best players, suggesting that even a high-quality coach can suddenly appear average if they lose their top talent.
“South Africa also needs to think a little bit about how we want teams to arrive at the end of the season because no one else played international competitions besides Sundowns.
“I would like to have Sundowns in the final of the Champions League, and other teams closer to that as well. So why not have a PSL final in a continental competition? It can happen, but for that the league must protect the teams,” Cardoso added.
Despite Sundowns sitting at the summit at the moment, Pirates will clinch their first league title in 14 years if they win their remaining matches, as their superior goal difference has become the ultimate trump card in this heavyweight duel.
The permutations for the championship are now crystal clear for both South African giants as the season reaches its boiling point.
Mamelodi Sundowns now face an uphill battle where even winning all their remaining games might not be enough to retain their domestic crown. The Brazilians must hope for a Pirates slip-up while simultaneously attempting to bridge the massive goal gap that currently separates the two contenders.
Meanwhile, Pirates coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, has indicated that his players will fight to the very end after securing maximum points against Stellenbosch FC on Tuesday.
“You know, in every league, in every country, if you can see the Premier League in England, Manchester City, Arsenal, they're fighting. I think it's the same fight that we see in the PSL,” the Moroccan mentor said.
As the final whistle approaches for the 2025/2026 campaign, the margins have never been thinner between the hunter and the hunted as Pirates look to change the narrative in a league that has for close to a decade been ruthlessly dominated by an almost indomitable Sundowns side.
