This tie is the first meeting between these two sides in the MTN8, though they have previously clashed in the Telkom Knockout. Pirates won 1-0 on that occasion in 2019, with Thembinkosi Lorch scoring the only goal.
The first leg at the Athlone Stadium finished 2-1 in Pirates’ favour after they rallied late to get the win. Ismael Toure put Stellenbosch ahead before Zakhele Lepasa equalised with his fourth goal of the MTN8 campaign. Deon Hotto then scored the winner in injury time, his fourth career goal against Stellenbosch.
Pirates are the defending MTN8 champions after they lifted the trophy last year, immediate success for their then-new coach Jose Riveiro. They beat Royal AM 2-1 in the quarterfinals, before a 0-0 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their semifinal. Pirates then turned on the style to win the return 3-0, before beating AmaZulu 1-0 in the decider at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Pirates’ have lost just one of their last 11 MTN8 matches (2-1 to Moroka Swallows in 2021).
Stellenbosch are playing in the MTN8 for the second season in a row having debuted in 2022. They hosted Kaizer Chiefs in the quarterfinals but lost on penalties following a 1-1 draw. They beat SuperSport United 1-0 in this year’s quarters.
Pirates’ home record against Stellenbosch reads played six, won four and drawn two. They have scored 11 goals in that time, almost two per game.
Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is now unbeaten in 11 knockout games in South African domestic football since he joined the club at the start of the 2022/23 campaign. That includes six matches in the MTN8 (W5 D1) and five more in the Nedbank Cup (W4 D1).
It has been feast or famine for Pirates in the MTN8 in their previous nine appearances in the competition. They have gone out in the quarterfinals in five of those years and reached the final in the other four. They have claimed title victories in two of the last three years and lost the 2013 and 2014 finals.
Pirates winger Monnapule Saleng had a superb 2022 MTN8 and was named the Last Man Standing at the end-of-season PSL awards. He scored three goals, including the winner in the final and was instrumental in The Buccaneers’ success.
Pirates have reached seven semifinals since MTN took over sponsorship of the competition in 2008, and won six of those, an excellent conversion rate once they get to this stage of the competition.