Orlando Pirates face a tricky speed bump at the start of their Carling Knockout campaign, which is set to kick off at home against top-flight newcomers Siwelele.
The Round of 16 draw took place at FNB Stadium on Monday afternoon, with the Buccaneers placed among the seeded teams following their second-place finish in the Premiership last season.
They were drawn against one of the debutants in South Africa’s League Cup, who could be counted among the dark horses in this year’s competition. It’s the men in green who will be tasked with travelling for the fixture, with the Soweto Giants drawn as hosts for this stage of the competition.
They will be looking to recapture the one title that has eluded them in recent years, with their last triumph dating back to 2011 when they defeated Bidvest Wits in the final. They have featured in two finals since then, twice emerging on the losing side as they fell to Platinum Stars in 2013 before going down on penalties against Baroka five years later.
Despite their proven cup pedigree, Pirates have failed to make it past the quarter-finals since the Carling Knockout’s rebranding under a new sponsor. They were eliminated in the Last Eight by Richards Bay, who triumphed through penalties in 2023, before another upset at the hands of eventual champions Magesi in the opening round the following year.
Now set to begin their campaign at home for a third season running, they face the challenge of a Siwelele side whom they will get their first feel off in Tuesday night’s league encounter at Free State Stadium.
The Carling Knockout Round of 16 fixtures get underway on 18 October, with further details set to be announced at a later stage.
