Pirates to claim Nedbank Cup hat-trick, or will Chiefs end their drought?
Just a week after meeting in the Betway Premiership, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will renew their iconic rivalry in the final of the Nedbank Cup, set for the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on the afternoon of Saturday 10 May 2025.
Kick-off is at 3.30pm CAT.
Match background
Orlando Pirates defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 at the FNB Stadium in last weekend’s Premiership clash, to complete a league ‘double’ and continue their dominance over the gold half of Soweto (the Buccaneers have won their last five successive matches against the Amakhosi).
And a repeat performance on Saturday in Durban would see Jose Riveiro’s side win the Nedbank Cup for a third successive season. This would match Pirates’ record of back-to-back-to-back National Cup title wins set 50 years ago when they won the 1973, 1974 and 1975 editions of the tournament, known as the Life Challenge Cup at the time.
The Buccaneers have won the Nedbank Cup 10 times overall, and earned their shot at an 11th triumph thanks to wins over Richards Bay (3-1 away), Baroka FC (3-1 home), SuperSport United (on penalties after a 2-2 draw away) and Marumo Gallants (1-0 home).
Build Up #NedbankCupFinal
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They also come into the match on the back of successive league wins, following up their 2-1 victory over Chiefs with a triumph by the same score line over Golden Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Chiefs are the most successful club in Nedbank Cup history, winning the tournament 13 times. However, their last triumph was in 2013 and they come into the final desperate to break a trophy drought which stretches back a decade: their last piece of silverware was the Premiership title in 2014-15, when Stuart Baxter was still in his first tenure at the club.
And manager Nasreddine Nabi’s future at the club may depend on the outcome of this final. Chiefs’ underwhelming league campaign (they are struggling to finish in the top half of the table) has put major pressure on the Tunisian tactician, but ending the trophy drought may be enough to buy him a second season in charge at Naturena.
The Amakhosi earned their place in the final with wins over Free Agents (4-0 home), Chippa United (3-0 home), Stellenbosch FC (3-1 away) and Mamelodi Sundowns (2-1 away). However, they come into the clash on the back of three winless matches, with a 0-0 draw against Chippa United followed by home losses to Marumo Gallants and Pirates.
Team news
Chiefs will be without Bradley Cross due to suspension, though Wandile Duba is available again after missing last weekend’s action with a one-match ban. Given Msimango, Reeve Frosler and Rushwin Dortley are out with long-term injuries, while Thabo Cele and Inacio Miguel are likely to recover from knocks and be available for selection.
Pirates are set to be without Olisa Ndah, and Thabiso Sesane, Thabiso Lebitso and Zakhele Lepasa due to injuries. Nkosinathi Sibisi and Thalente Mbatha return to availability after serving their respective two- and one-game bans.
What the teams are saying
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi on the pressure of trying to win the Nedbank Cup and ending their trophy drought:
“Trust me when I say the players know about the responsibility and this chance. Trust me. I’m 100 per cent convinced about that, but we don’t need to put excessive pressure on the players because if you reach the red line of pressure, the result is negative.
"You need to find the balance. But trust me, the players want this, particularly after losing the derby. The season has not been easy for them, but I have observed the desire, aggressiveness, and all this here at training. It is even going to be difficult to choose the team to start because all players want to give 200 per cent."
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has played down the prospect of a hat-trick of Nedbank Cup triumphs:
“Right now, this one matters and the next one – the others [from the past] are a memory, so we continue, we are in sport and we continue evolving in the sport, we want to do more.
“The record itself doesn't matter, but it matters that we're not just happy going to a final, being there for a party and fireworks – it's nice to be there, but when it's time to go, we go with the intention to be competitive, try to be better than the opponent and [win].”
Key players
Kaizer Chiefs, Inacio Miguel
The Angolan defender has scored three times in Kaizer Chiefs’ Nedbank Cup campaign, and has played a key role in bringing them to the final. Inacio Miguel will need to balance his defensive work against Pirates’ dangerous forwards with offering a threat at the other end from set pieces.
Orlando Pirates, Relebohile Mofokeng
After netting the winner against Kaizer Chiefs in last weekend’s league encounter, Relebohile Mofokeng added to his burgeoning reputation for scoring key goals in big games. Doing the same again in this Nedbank Cup final will guarantee a place in Orlando Pirates folklore.
Head-to-head stats
In head-to-head terms, Chiefs and Pirates have met in 29 cup matches since 1987, with the Buccaneers claiming 12 wins compared to nine for the Amakhosi, while eight games have been drawn.
The teams’ most recent cup meeting was in the semifinals of the 2022-23 Nedbank Cup, with Pirates winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Kermit Erasmus and Sandile Mthethwa, while their last meeting in the National Cup final was in 2005-06 (when it was known as the Absa Cup), with Chiefs triumphing on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
PREVIOUS CUP MEETINGS
Season Cup Result Scorers
1987 Mainstay sfinal Chiefs 1-1 Pirates Madida; Moloi
1987 Mainstay sfinal rpay Pirates 0-1 Chiefs Thindwa
1988 Bob Save final Chiefs 0-0 Pirates
1988 Bob Save final rpay Pirates 2-1 Chiefs Steenkamp, Maake; Mangena
1991 BP Top 8 quarterfinal Chiefs 2-1 Pirates Khumalo, MacGregor; Maake
1991 Castle Challenge final Chiefs 2-1 Pirates Khuse, Madida; Steenkamp
1992 Coca-Cola 1st round Chiefs 3-2 Pirates Madida 2 (1 pen), Bwalya; Tsoane, Nyathi
1993 Bob Save semifinal Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Khumalo
1996 Bob Save semifinal Chiefs 1-4 Pirates Modise; Sikhosana 3, Mkhalele
1997/98 Bob Save 2nd round Chiefs 0-1 Pirates Pam
1998/99 Rothmans sf, 1st leg Chiefs 3-1 Pirates Ndlanya 2, Batchelor; Ngake
1998/99 Rothmans sf, 2nd leg Pirates 1-0 Chiefs Zuma
2001/02 BP Top 8 semifinal Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Niemach
2005/06 Absa Cup final Chiefs 0-0* Pirates
2009/10 Telkom semifinal Pirates 0-0* Chiefs
2010/11 MTN8 sfinal, 1st leg Pirates 1-1 Chiefs Chansa; Musona
2010/11 MTN8 sfinal, 2nd leg Chiefs 0-1 Pirates Mashego
2010/11 Telkom final Pirates 0-3 Chiefs Ngcobo 2, Tshabalala
2011/12 MTN8 final Pirates 1-0 Chiefs Manyisa
2013/14 MTN8 sfinal, 1st leg Chiefs 0-1 Pirates Klate
2013/14 MTN8 sfinal, 2nd leg Pirates 1-1 Chiefs Bacela (pen); Parker
2014/15 MTN8 final Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Mashamaite
2015/16 Telkom semifinal Chiefs 0-0* Pirates
2015/16 Nedbank, last 32 Pirates 2-0 Chiefs Ndoro 2
2018/19 Telkom semifinal Chiefs 1-2 Pirates Castro; Lorch, Shonga
2019/20 Telkom quarterfinal Chiefs 2-2* Pirates Castro, Cardoso (pen); Makaringe, Mhango
2020-21 MTN8 sfinal, 1st leg Pirates 3-0 Chiefs Lepasa, Pule, Lorch
2020-21 MTN8 sfinal, 2nd leg Chiefs 0-2 Pirates Makaringe, Mntambo
2022-23 Nedbank, semifinal Chiefs 1-2 Pirates Maart; Erasmus, Mthethwa
(*Chiefs won on penalties)
LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2019/20 Pirates 0-1 Chiefs Manyama
2020/21 Pirates 2-1 Chiefs Lorch, Ndlovu; Cardoso
2020/21 Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Nurkovic
2021/22 Chiefs 2-1 Pirates Dolly 2 (1 pen); Mntambo
2021/22 Pirates 1-2 Chiefs Peprah; Frosler, Mathoho
2022/23 Pirates 0-1 Chiefs Maart
2022/23 Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Ndah (og)
2023/24 Chiefs 0-1 Pirates Makgopa
2023/24 Pirates 3-2 Chiefs Saleng 2, Lebitso; Du Preez 2
2024/25 Pirates 1-0 Chiefs Maswanganyi (pen)
2024/25 Chiefs 1-2 Pirates Lilepo; Makgopa, Mofokeng
CUP RECORD
P W D L GF GA
Chiefs 29 9 8 12 26 32
Pirates 29 12 8 9 32 26
OVERALL RECORD (all competitions)
P W D L GF GA
Chiefs 108 40 36 32 115 107
Pirates 108 32 36 40 107 115
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