The 2025 Pirates Cup got underway amid the biting cold, but the action on display at Marks Park and Sturrock Park provided the sparks that warmed up what was a gloomy day in Johannesburg. It set the tone for what promises to be a captivating weekend across both venues serving as hosts for the talent-rich tournament, which rolled around for another instalment kicking off on Friday.
The latest edition of the competition where talent meets opportunity produced another exciting opening day with a total of 24 teams on show first up. All eight women’s sides took to the field, with the four semifinal spots decided by the end of the day while four teams in the Men’s Under-21 tournament guaranteed themselves spots in the Round of 16.
Reigning champions JVW emerged as Group A winners in the women’s section after collecting seven points in a tough group. They began their title defence with a tough encounter against the University of Limpopo, staging a spirited comeback after trailing by two goals to claim a 3-2 win. Their next two games yielded a stalemate and another victory. Four goals were shared evenly in their clash with University of Pretoria, while a straightforward 2-0 win against eventual runners-up Wits University ensured that both teams finished the day as the two semifinalists from their group.
Group B meanwhile proved to be a goal fest with the net sent bulging 27 times. Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and the University of Johannesburg were responsible for 20 of the goals scored with two coming in a tightly-contested show stopper between the two. The group decider finished deadlocked at a goal apiece, with the Tshwane outfit finishing on top through goal difference.
The two sides qualified for the semifinals with Sundowns set to face off against JVW while UJ Ladies will battle it out with neighbours Wits in the second semi. Both matches are scheduled to take place on Monday, 21 April.
Meanwhile the first four teams in the male category booked their places in the knockout rounds with the rest of the spots set to be decided over the next two days. Tournament hosts Orlando Pirates were among the first to qualify automatically after going unbeaten in Group A. They kicked off their campaign with a tense 1-1 draw against NWU Soccer Institute before claiming their first three-pointer with a narrow win over Young Pirates.
A 4-0 win against in their final group fixture Invitational XI ensured that they scraped through on goal difference, edging NWU as the two sides finished tied on seven points.
This meant that the Group A runners-up finished among the teams who have to await the conclusion of the round-robin phase to discover their fate, as only the two best second-place teams get to qualify for the Round of 16. They are joined in the waiting game by Indlovu Football Academy, Brits Soccer Academy and Mphehli All Stars, while last year’s winners, University of Johannesburg, have no such worries along with Wits and University of Pretoria, who topped Group B and D respectively.
Saturday promises to be another day of exciting action as teams from Group E to H all take to the field. Gates open at 7:30 with the action kicking off at 9:00.
