Pirates chase rare feat in MTN8 final

Orlando Pirates face Mamelodi Sundowns in the final of the 2023 MTN8 in Durban on Saturday with the chance to achieve what has been a rare feat down the years.

They will be looking to become only the fifth team to retain the top eight trophy – something achieved twice each before by Kaizer Chiefs and Pirates – having been victorious in last year’s decider against AmaZulu.

One of their successes in this regard was spread over five years, but we have included it as there was no victor in between.

KAIZER CHIEFS – 1981 & 1982

The AmaKhosi were the first team to retain the top eight trophy in an age when the final was played over two legs.

They beat Dynamos 3-1 in the first leg of the 1981 decider before an emphatic 4-0 victory in the second for a 7-1 aggregate success. Ace Ntsoelengoe scored twice in each tie as Chiefs made light work of their opponents.

It was much the same story in 1982, though this time against Moroka Swallows, as they also won 7-1 on aggregate for an emphatic victory. Leonard ‘Wagga Wagga’ Likoebe scored a hat-trick in the second leg.

KAIZER CHIEFS – 1991 & 1992

Chiefs were at it again a decade later, though by now the final was just a single one-off contest with the last of the two-leg ties played in 1990.

Phil Masinga scored a cup final hattrick in the 1991 decider but still ended on the losing side as the AmaKhosi beat Jomo Cosmos 4-3 in the final at Soccer City, thanks to an 88th-minute winner from Fani Madida.

They returned 12 months later to make it back-to-back wins as there was another late winner in the final as Donald Khuse’s goal gave Chiefs a 1-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns.

ORLANDO PIRATES – 1996 & 2000

This one is perhaps tenuous, though Pirates did retain the title as there was no competition played between their 1996 win and lifting the trophy again in 2000.

The top eight competition had been halted for three years when the new Premier Soccer League era started.

A replay was needed for the first of those triumphs after Pirates and QwaQwa Stars drew 1-1 in Durban. The two clubs then went to Bloemfontein where Pirates won 3-0, a victory crowned by a great Helman Mkhalele goal.

After a three-year hiatus, the competition was back in 2000 and a Thabo Mngomeni penalty in extra time gave Pirates a 2-1 win over Ajax Cape Town.

ORLANDO PIRATES – 2010 & 2011

There is no doubting this feat though as Pirates won back-to-back titles as part of their ‘Double Treble’ seasons when they won an astonishing six trophies in two campaigns between 2010 and 2012.

The very first piece of silverware was the 2010 MTN8 as Pirates won 4-2 on penalties at the Moses Mabhida Stadium after a 1-1 draw with Moroka Swallows. Daine Klate scored their goal.

The Buccaneers then retain their trophy in sweet fashion 12 months on as Oupa Manyisa scored after 107 minutes to beat Soweto rivals Chiefs at Soccer City.