Orlando Pirates ended their Betway Premiership season with a 1-1 draw against Magesi FC, while one of their players waved goodbye to the supporters on Wednesday night.
Betway Premiership
Result: Orlando Pirates 1-1 Magesi FC
Date: 28 May 2025
Venue: Orlando Stadium
Interim coach Mandla Ncikazi handed a start to Boitumelo Radiopane in the Pirates attack while club captain Innocent Maela made his second start of the season in what was likely his final game for the club.
The Buccaneers got off to the perfect start as a move from the training ground saw Patrick Maswanganyi get on the end of Relebohile Mofokeng's pass and sent a first-time finish into the far corner after just seven minutes.
Magesi, meanwhile, struggled to get their foot on the ball in the first half while they were finding it tough to deal with the pace of Mofokeng and Mohua Nkota, who found themselves in some promising positions in the final third.
However, the visitors got the equaliser against the run of play as Edmore Chirambadare collected a pass out wide before drilling the ball into the far corner for only his second league goal of the campaign.
Click through the gallery above to see action from Pirates' last game.
The goal from Chirambadare certainly came out of nowhere as Ncikazi's men dominated the opening 45 minutes from star to the finish, but they were let down by some of their decision-making in the final third.
The Buccaneers carried that dominance over to the second period and they went close tor restoring their lead on the hour mark but goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze was on hand to keep out Maswanganyi's first-time strike on the edge of the box.
Coach Ncikazi made a double change after 67 minutes as Yanga Madiba and Tshegofatso Mabasa replaced Radiopane and Maela, who appeared to bid farewell to the supporters before leaving the field of play.
Pirates were camped in the opposition half for the remainder of the second half trying to break Magesi down, but they were finding it tough to carve out any serious openings.
The visitors were able to see out the closing stages on the night to secure a point, but it was not enough to secure a top-half finish, as they sit two points adrift of eighth-placed Richards Bay while Pirates end the campaign in second spot for a third season in a row.
Here's how they lined up:
Orlando Pirates: 24. Chaine, 23. Maela, 5. Sibisi, 44. Mbokazi, 26. Shandu, 47. Selepe, 16. Mbatha, 28. Maswanganyi, 33. Nkota, 38. Mofokeng, 42. Radiopane
Subs: 40. Dladla, 27. Xoki, 30. Madiba, 3. Van Rooyen, 21. Tshobeni, 25. Kimvuidi, 32. Moleleki, 46. Dansin, 19. Mabasa
Magesi FC: 1. Chipezeze, 35. Matima, 4. Makgoka, 36. Vandala, 25. Abrahams, 34. Mokone, 26. Mtshali, 3. Buthelezi, 28. Mekoa, 21. Chiramabandare, 37. Sibanyoni.
Subs: 24. Tshabalala, 15. Masegela, 23. Komape, 49. Komane, 50. Mashikinya, 12. Baloyi, 80. Ashby, 88. Makhubela, 9. Matlakala.
