The early chances however went the way of the Buccaneers, who could have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Makhehleni Makhaula found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Michael Cooper, only to hook his shot well over the bar. Monnapule Saleng followed it up with his own spurned opportunity as he pulled his effort wide after getting on the end of quick transition ball from deep.

Nearly half an hour of play elapsed before The Pilgrims got their first sniff at the Bucs goal, but that chance also went abegging as they only mustered up a miscued shot from close
range.

Bucs keeper Sipho Chaine was eventually called into action in the 37th minute when he
pulled off an excellent stop to keep out a powerful shot struck from close range by Muhamed
Tijani.

The opener came at the other end as Plymouth failed to make a clearance deep inside their
territory, allowing Evidence Makgopa the chance to guide the ball over the line following a
desperate scramble deep inside the penalty area. The English side however hit back almost immediately, with teenage striker Freddie Issaka drawing them level in the 40th minute.

It only took the Buccaneers three minutes to restore their lead, with their second goal coming
through Olisa Ndah who was on hand to capitalise on another defensive mix-up from the
English side. Wholesale changes were made at the break by both camps, and it was the men in green
who were quickest off the blocks following the restart. They were afforded the chance to
draw level from the spot seconds into the second half after Thabiso Monyane was adjudged
to have brought down Issaka inside the box.

Striker Ryan Hardie was entrusted with spot-kick duties, but replacement keeper Melusi
Buthelezi was equal to the task as he went low to his right to deny the former Scotland youth
international.

Having been let off the hook, Pirates looked to extend their lead and made several forays
into Plymouth territory with none yielding clear chances at goal. A defensive lapse at the other end brought The Pilgrims back level after the hour mark when excellent work from Ibrahim Cissoko on the left flank set Callum Wright up for an easy tap-in on the back post.

A crucial goal-line clearance from Deon Hotto kept scores level in the 77th minute before the
Soweto Giants set about trying to restore their lead through Tshegofatso Mabasa, who
misplaced his attempt at goal.

The Bucs striker came closer to the target in the dying moments when he got on the end of a
cutback from Mohau Nkota before striking the upright with the keeper rooted to the spot.The two sides continued their toil in the sweltering heat, but no further goals were forthcoming as they eventually had to settle for a stalemate.

Pirates XI: Chaine (Buthelezi 46’), Ndah (Sibisi 46’) , Sesane, Lebitso (Monyane 46’), Maela
(Hotto 46’), Makhaula (Mbatha 46’), Rasebotja (Baloni 46’, Ndlondlo 80’), Saleng (Kapinga
46’), Mofokeng (Nkota 62’), Maswanganyi (Kimvuidi 46’), Makgopa (Mabasa 46’).

The Buccaneers’ schedule in the off-season features dates against The Pilgrims, Spanish giants Sevilla, as well as Qatar’s Al Sadd as they take preparations for the 2024/25 campaign up a notch following the winter break.

The first stop is Marbella, where they will come up against the English Championship outfit managed by former Manchester United and England forward Wayne Rooney.

Match Overview

Following a successful season where they defended both their MTN8 and Nedbank Cup titles, Jose Riveiro’s troops are looking to use their time in Spain to fine-tune for what promises to be another demanding season. This is after finishing second in the DStv Premiership, booking their spot in the CAF Champions League.

The upcoming season presents an opportunity to further cement their status as South Africa’s cup kings, while also looking for an improved showing in league football.

The journey towards that kicks off against The Pilgrims, who landed in Marbella on the back of a tough return to the Championship where they narrowly survived relegation after finishing in 21st position.

Having brought in Rooney, who has done some hard yards as manager via stints at Derby County and Birmingham City, the Devon-based outfit are determined to hit the ground running next season, and will take their clash against the Buccaneers as an important test in setting the tone ahead of their return to competitive action.

Team News

Both sides have undergone some personnel changes, with Plymouth recently welcoming Dutch forward Ibrahim Cissoko on a loan transfer from French Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse. He is one of three players brought in on loan by the club, alongside Manchester City youth product Darko Gyabi who joins from Leeds, as well as Slavia Prague attacker Muhamed Tijani.

Also new to The Pilgrims squad is former England Under-20 international Nathaneal Ogbeta, who joined on a permanent transfer following his departure from Swansea.

They will be without goalkeeper Callum Burton, who has been released by the club along with defensive duo, Jack Endacott and Oscar Halls, while midfielders Mickel Miller and Tyreik Wright have secured moves to Huddersfield Town and Bradford, respectively.

There have also been some notable departures in the Bucs camp during the off-season, with the likes of Vincent Pule and Fortune Makaringe among those not part of the travelling party after leaving the club.

Pirates have some new faces on tour, having confirmed the signing of Angola international Delvi Miguel Riveira – otherwise known as Gilberto – who signed a three-year-deal from Petro de Luanda. Meanwhile Academy graduates Mohau Nkota and Siyabonga Dladla are among those granted the opportunity to impress ahead of the upcoming season.

Players to Watch

The English outfit has a young squad with an average age of just under 25, but does also boast some valuable experience.

Former Scotland youth international Ryan Hardie was instrumental in helping The Pilgrims secure promotion from the third tier of English football before carrying his form into last season’s Championship campaign, where he found the net 12 times. Also providing considerable experience is former Everton and Sunderland defender Brendan Galloway, who made 36 league appearances last season on his return from a long-term injury.

Young winger Morgan Withaker led the club’s goal-scoring charts last season with 20 scored across competitions, while Cissoko will also be among the new faces looking to stamp their mark during pre-season.

How to Watch Orlando Pirates vs Plymouth Argyle

The game is scheduled to start at 19:00 (SAST) and can be streamed live on Orlando Pirates Football Club’s YouTube channel, Pirates TV. You can also follow the action by keeping an eye on live updates posted across the Club’s social media platforms.

In a draw held in Cairo, Egypt on Thursday, they were among the five clubs set to begin their
campaign in the second preliminary round, where they will face off against the Malagasy Pro
League champions. The Antsirabe-based outfit will be home for the first leg scheduled to take place on the weekend of 16 August.

The second leg fixtures get underway seven days later, with Orlando Stadium set to host the deciding leg.The winner of the tie will progress to the final preliminary round, where they stand to come up against one of Namibia’s African Stars or Jwaneng Galaxy from Botswana in mid-September. The fixture dates, kick-off times, and match venues will be confirmed in due course.